Wellesley vs. Columbia

Should I go to Wellesley College or Columbia University in the City of New York? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wellesley or Columbia is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Wellesley College vs. Columbia University in the City of New York comparison
Wellesley College Columbia University in the City of New York College 3 College 4
Wellesley College Columbia University in the City of New York
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Overview

Wellesley Columbia
Location Wellesley, MA New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,447 34,782
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #22
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wellesley.edu columbia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wellesley Columbia
Tuition (In State) $61,584 $62,570
Tuition (Out of State) $61,584 $62,570
Room & Board $19,080 $16,286
Avg Net Price $21,362 $22,058
Avg Grant Aid $61,328 $61,061
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 52%

Admission

Wellesley Columbia
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,491 60,879
Admitted 1,152 2,404
Acceptance Rate 13.6% 3.9%
Enrolled % 50.8% 64.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1430/1550 1490/1580
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 8, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Wellesley Columbia
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Wellesley Columbia
Graduation Rate 92% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,100 $107,600
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,900 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $92 $222

Diversity

Wellesley Columbia
% Men 1% 46%
% Women 99% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 38%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 12% 15%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Wellesley Columbia
% In-State 11% 19%
% Out-of-State 73% 64%

Campus

Wellesley Columbia
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Wellesley based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 2,447 students)

Wellesley vs. Columbia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wellesley or Columbia?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 1.6% more expensive to attend than Wellesley for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $61,584.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.6% higher at Columbia than Wellesley College ($62,570.00 vs. $61,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Columbia ($21,362 vs. $22,058)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 17.2% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($16,286 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wellesley College than Columbia University in the City of New York (59% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 0.4% larger than aid received Columbia University in the City of New York ($61,328 vs. $61,061)

Wellesley vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Wellesley or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or Wellesley .

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 104 points higher than at Wellesley (1369)
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Wellesley (30)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Wellesley (3.86)
  • Wellesley has a higher acceptance rate (13.6%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Wellesley vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wellesley or Columbia? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Columbia and Wellesley.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than Wellesley College (93% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $39,500 more per year than Wellesley graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $68,100)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $12,600 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($8,900 vs. $21,500)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($92 vs. $222)
  • More Wellesley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/