Williams vs. Columbia

Should I go to Williams College or Columbia University in the City of New York? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Williams 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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Williams College vs. Columbia University in the City of New York comparison
Williams College Columbia University in the City of New York College 3 College 4
Williams College Columbia University in the City of New York
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Overview

Williams Columbia
Location Williamstown, MA New York, NY
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 2,222 34,782
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #13 #22
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website williams.edu columbia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Williams Columbia
Tuition (In State) $61,450 $62,570
Tuition (Out of State) $61,450 $62,570
Room & Board $15,530 $16,286
Avg Net Price $20,965 $22,058
Avg Grant Aid $57,121 $61,061
% Receiving Grant Aid 45% 52%

Admission

Williams Columbia
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,321 60,879
Admitted 1,302 2,404
Acceptance Rate 8.5% 3.9%
Enrolled % 44.3% 64.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 34/35
SAT Range 1480/1570 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 10, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Williams Columbia
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Williams Columbia
Graduation Rate 95% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,600 $107,600
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,582 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $150 $222

Diversity

Williams Columbia
% Men 47% 46%
% Women 53% 54%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 38%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 13% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 8% 15%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Williams Columbia
% In-State 14% 19%
% Out-of-State 76% 64%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Williams based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 2,222 students)

Williams vs. Columbia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Williams or Columbia?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 1.8% more expensive to attend than Williams for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $61,450.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at Columbia than Williams College ($62,570.00 vs. $61,450.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Williams College than Columbia ($20,965 vs. $22,058)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Williams College are 4.9% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($15,530 vs. $16,286)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than Williams College (52% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 6.9% larger than aid received Williams College ($61,061 vs. $57,121)

Williams vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 31 points higher than at Williams (1442)
  • Incoming Williams students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Columbia (33)
  • Accepted freshman Williams students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Columbia (3.91)
  • Williams has a higher acceptance rate (8.5%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Williams vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Williams 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 Williams.

  • The graduation rate at Williams is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (95% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $34,000 more per year than Williams graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $73,600)
  • Williams College students graduate with a $6,918 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($14,582 vs. $21,500)
  • Williams graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($150 vs. $222)
  • More Williams graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 76%)

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