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Columbia University in the City of New York

#2 Best Computer Science Colleges in New York
Private nonprofit New York, NY · Urban · Mid-Atlantic · 100% data
A+ Selectivity A+ Earnings A+ Graduation
Graduation Rate
96% A+
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$102,491 A+
Top 1% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$21,590 D+
26% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
4% A+
Rejects about 96 of every 100 applicants
Earnings +151% vs avg
Graduation +67% vs avg
Net Price 26% vs avg
Mobility Top 10%

Bottom line: A A- overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 28.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $28.3 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Computer Science Colleges in New York.

28.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $28.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,353,489.

What The Data Says

  1. An A- overall — top 15% of all U.S. colleges on measured outcomes.

  2. Graduates earn 151% more than the national college median.

  3. A 96% graduation rate — 67% above the national average.

  4. Inventor rate in the top 14% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.

  5. A top feeder school for 8 major employers.

Economic Footprint

Inventor Rate
1.9%
Top 14%
Patents
149
Linked to graduates
Employer Pipelines
8
Top feeder programs
Patent Citations
277
Downstream influence

Why Columbia University Matters

Columbia University in the City of New York is a private research university in New York, NY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 1% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private Research University
Carnegie Class
R1 · Very High Research
Enrollment
8,973
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT, Engineering, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose Columbia University

Elite STEM ecosystem
Engineering, computing, and the sciences dominate its programs
Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Entrepreneurial, inventive students
Above-average inventor and patent activity
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Highly selective peer group
Surrounded by exceptionally high-achieving students
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 1% of colleges

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

A-
Top 15% overall
A+
Earnings
$102,491 median
B+
Value
4.7× net price
D+
Affordability
$21,590/yr net
A+
Graduation
96% graduate
A
Social Mobility
3.1% climb Q1→Q5
A+
Selectivity
4% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.81 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →
1
Can I Get In?

Admissions

Highly selective
4% admit rate

Highly selective — admits about 4% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1510–1580. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.

Check your odds →
2
Can I Afford It?

Net price + aid

D+
$21,590/yr net

Students pay about $21,590 a year after grants and scholarships — 26% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.

See cost & aid →
3
What Happens After?

Earnings + debt

A+
$102,491 median

Graduates earn a median of $102,491 ten years after enrolling — 151% above the typical college, against $21,500 in median debt.

See outcomes →
4
Does It Change Lives?

Mobility + social capital

A
3.1% climb

Moves 3.1% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 10% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.82 economic connectedness).

See mobility →

Overview

Columbia University in the City of New York is an excellent fit for ambitious students who are ready to dive deep into their studies. With an acceptance rate of just 4%, it attracts driven individuals who excel academically. Students here often focus on top programs such as Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT, Engineering, Biology & Biomedical, and English & Literature. The tight-knit community and diverse course offerings create an environment where students can thrive.

Life after graduation looks promising for Columbia alumni, with a ten-year earnings average of $102,491. This figure indicates the long-term financial benefits of attending this university. Graduates are well-prepared to enter the workforce and often find themselves in positions that allow for upward mobility. The high graduation rate of 96% suggests that most students successfully complete their degrees, which is a strong indicator of the support and resources available.

When it comes to the practical aspects of attending Columbia, the net price after aid is approximately $21,590, which is quite manageable given the high earning potential. With a median debt of $21,500, most graduates come out with a reasonable financial burden. The combination of these factors, along with the strong academic environment, tends to attract students who are not only academically talented but also motivated to make the most of their educational experience.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Columbia University in the City of New York is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Columbia University in the City of New York? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Columbia University in the City of New York, located in New York, New York, turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 4%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,553. The graduation rate is roughly 96%.

Acceptance Rate
4%
Retention Rate
98%
SAT Average
1553
ACT Midpoint
35
SAT Range
1510–1580
ACT Range
34–35
Full-Time Faculty
43%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$21,516
Student–Faculty Ratio
6:1
Diversity Index
0.81
First-Gen Students
25%
Applicants
60,879
Admitted
2,404

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25

The acceptance rate tells you how hard Columbia University in the City of New York is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 64% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school more than half of admitted students choose.

Yield Rate
64%
of admits enroll
Submitted SAT
44%
of enrolled freshmen
Submitted ACT
17%
of enrolled freshmen
Early Decision Admit Rate
13.2%
vs 3.9% overall

Applying early pays off here. Of 6,007 Early Decision applicants, 795 were admitted — a 13.2% admit rate, roughly 3.4× the 3.9% rate for the overall pool. That binding round alone filled about 54% of the entering class (795 of 1,483 first-years). The catch: Early Decision is a commitment you make before you can compare aid offers.

Test-optional, in practice. Only about 61% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.

Source: Columbia University in the City of New York's Common Data Set, 2024-25 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Columbia University in the City of New York? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Columbia University in the City of New York is $71,845, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $21,590. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,570 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$71,845
Out-of-State
$71,845
Avg Net Price
$21,590
Median Debt
$21,500
Pell Grant Rate
23%
Federal Loan Rate
14%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$4,570
Family Income $30K–$48K
$2,275
Family Income $48K–$75K
$5,866
Family Income $110K+
$50,621

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Columbia University in the City of New York — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Columbia University in the City of New York Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median of $102,491, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$88,535
8 Years
$98,435
10 Years
$102,491
Debt-to-Earnings
0.21x
Earning > $25K
86%

Earnings Trajectory

$88,535 6yr $98,435 8yr $102,491 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (1,267)
84%
100% (1,267)
84%
100% (1,267)
84%
100% (1,267)
84%

Where Grads Go

Columbia University in the City of New York is a top feeder for:

Rank among programs feeding each employer.

Top employers of Columbia University in the City of New York’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.

Explore the Career Destination Guide → Source: Columbia University in the City of New York — Full-Time MBA Employment Report (Class of 2025)

How Columbia Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation96%Earnings 10yr$102KNet Price$22KRetention98%Median Debt$22KPell Grant Rate23%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$5K$0-30K$2K$30-48K$6K$48-75K$51K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%5.0%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%61.2%MOBILITY3.07%

College ROI Calculator

Is Columbia University in the City of New York Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Columbia University in the City of New York delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $21,590/year ($86,360 total). Graduates earn $102,491 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,439,849 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,353,489 (28.3× your investment). The median debt is $21,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 96% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$86,360
Projected 20yr Earnings
$2,439,849
Net Return
$2,353,489
ROI Multiple
28.3×
Cost Per Year
$21,590
Median Debt
$21,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
96%
Explore all Columbia University ROI scenarios

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Columbia University in the City of New York Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Columbia University in the City of New York is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.07%, among the highest in the country. About 5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 61.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $169,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
3.07%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
61.2%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
5.0%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$230,427
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Columbia University in the City of New York? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Columbia University in the City of New York. Its economic connectedness score is 1.82, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.82
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
10.3%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

Columbia University in the City of New York produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 14% nationally), with 149 patents tied to its graduates.

Inventor Rate
1.92%
Top 14% nationally
Patents Produced
149
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
277
Downstream influence
Inventors From Low-Income
0.34%
Bottom-20% families

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-1,007,833,000

Top Programs

The fields Columbia University in the City of New York awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Top Careers

Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Columbia University in the City of New York's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Columbia University in the City of New York? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Columbia University in the City of New York, located in New York, New York, turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 4%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,553. The graduation rate is roughly 96%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Columbia University in the City of New York? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Columbia University in the City of New York is $71,845, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $21,590. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,570 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.

Is Columbia University in the City of New York Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median of $102,491, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does Columbia University in the City of New York Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Columbia University in the City of New York is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.07%, among the highest in the country. About 5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 61.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $169,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Columbia University in the City of New York? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Columbia University in the City of New York. Its economic connectedness score is 1.82, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Does Columbia University in the City of New York offer Early Decision, and does it improve admission chances?

Yes. Columbia University in the City of New York offers a binding Early Decision plan, and it carries a real advantage: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 13%, about 3.4 times the overall 4% acceptance rate, and ED filled roughly 54% of the entering class. Because ED is binding, it makes sense only if Columbia University in the City of New York is a clear first choice and you can commit before comparing aid offers (2024-25 Common Data Set).

Is Columbia University in the City of New York really test-optional?

In practice, yes. Only about 61% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Columbia University in the City of New York (2024-25 Common Data Set).

What percentage of admitted students enroll at Columbia University in the City of New York?

About 64% of admitted students choose to enroll at Columbia University in the City of New York — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

Compare Columbia University in the City of New York

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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