Columbia University in the City of New York — New York, United States

About Columbia University in the City of New York

Columbia was chartered in 1754 as King's College under King George II, and it reopened as Columbia College in 1784 after the American Revolution. It moved to its current Morningside Heights campus in Manhattan in 1897. It is a private research university that administers the Pulitzer Prizes and is affiliated with Barnard College.

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At a glance

Students: 35,279
International: 19.7%
Students per teacher: 6:1
Founded: 1754
Type: Private
Campus: Urban
Endowment: $13.6B
Motto: In lumine Tuo videbimus lumen (In Thy light shall we see light)

New York, United States40.714, -74.006

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Rankings

QSQS=43World · 2027Source
THETHE#20World · 2026Source
WebometricsWebometrics#12World · 2026United States #10Source
CWURCWUR#8World · 2026United States #6Source
ARWUARWU#8World · 2026Source
NCSES HERDNCSES HERD#20United States and outlying areas · Total R&D expenditures · 2024Source
URAPURAP#31World · 2025United States #10Source

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Admissions & how to apply

Check the entry requirements for your course and qualifications.
Apply on the university’s own application page.
Pay the application fee ($85).

Application fee

Per application$85Source

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Costs & aid

International tuition$64,526per year · 2023

Fees$3,645
Room & board2023$16,800

US net price$15,370

What US families pay after grants, by household income. International students usually pay the full price.

<$30k$2,275
$30–48k$4,020
$48–75k$4,878
$75–110k$8,881
>$110k$40,931

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Programmes

381 programmes

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, OtherMaster’s · 1,740 graduates 2025
Social WorkMaster’s · 609 graduates 2025
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralMaster’s · 600 graduates 2025
LawDoctoral · 457 graduates 2025
Computer ScienceMaster’s · 427 graduates 2025
Computer ScienceBachelor’s · 377 graduates 2025
Operations ResearchMaster’s · 359 graduates 2025
Public AdministrationMaster’s · 349 graduates 2025
Statistics, GeneralMaster’s · 333 graduates 2025
Advanced Legal Research/Studies, GeneralMaster’s · 331 graduates 2025
Econometrics and Quantitative EconomicsBachelor’s · 307 graduates 2025
Sustainability StudiesMaster’s · 303 graduates 2025

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Campus & media

Welcome to Columbia UniversityWatch on YouTube

Outcomes

Admit rate: 4%
SAT average: 1553
ACT middle: 35
Graduate in 4 years: 83.2%
Graduate in 6 years: 95.2%
Return after year one: 98%
Pell grant students: 25.4%
Students with federal loans: 15%
Median debt: $20,500

Median earnings after starting

1 year$70,507
6 years$87,082
10 years$109,430

Student body

Women49%
Men51%

US government and university data. Figures describe past students, not your own chances. Source

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