Columbia University acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Columbia University in the City of New York · Private nonprofit · New York, NY · 9,111 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Columbia University admitted 4.2% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 7.4% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $74,180 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 7.4% | 31,851 | 2,362 |
| 2014 | 6.9% | 32,967 | 2,291 |
| 2015 | 6.6% | 36,911 | 2,438 |
| 2016 | 6.8% | 37,009 | 2,526 |
| 2017 | 6.4% | 37,673 | 2,410 |
| 2018 | 5.9% | 40,572 | 2,399 |
| 2019 | 5.4% | 42,823 | 2,332 |
| 2020 | 6.7% | 40,462 | 2,695 |
| 2021 | 4.1% | 61,110 | 2,524 |
| 2022 | 3.9% | 60,879 | 2,404 |
| 2023 | 4.2% | 57,613 | 2,439 |
Applications went from 31,851 in fall 2013 to 57,613 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $2,275 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $4,020 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $4,878 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $8,881 |
| Over $110,000 | $40,931 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $74,180 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $92,198 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $15,370 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 40% submitted the SAT, 21% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
What the numbers say
For fall 2023, Columbia received 57,613 applications and offered places to 2,439 applicants, an admit rate of 4.2%.1 Back in fall 2013 the rate stood at 7.4%, so it has fallen 3.2 percentage points since then.1 The rate went down in 7 of the 10 yearly comparisons in that stretch.1 Applications grew 81% over the decade, from 31,851 to 57,613, yet admitted students rose only 3%, from 2,362 to 2,439.1 The entering class in 2023 numbered 1,540 students.1
Columbia is test-optional. Among enrolled students who submitted scores in 2023, the middle 50% of SAT reading and writing results ran from 730 to 770, and math from 760 to 800.1 The ACT composite range was 34 to 35, and 40% of entrants submitted SAT scores against 21% who submitted the ACT.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $74,180 for every student, with no separate out-of-state price.2 That is far above the $35,880 median among the 119 private colleges in New York.2 After grants, the average net price in 2024-25 was $2,275 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $8,881 for $75,001 to $110,000, and $40,931 for families earning over $110,000.2
Of students who began in 2019, 95% finished within 6 years, while the state median is 56% across 157 bachelor's colleges.2 Former students earned a median of $109,430 10 years after entry, and graduates with federal loans left owing a median of $20,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 57,613 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 2,439 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,540 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 9,111 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 730 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 760 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 800 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 34 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 35 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 40% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 21% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $74,180 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $92,198 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $15,370 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $2,275 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $4,020 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $4,878 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $8,881 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $40,931 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 95% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 98% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 25% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $109,430 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $20,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, New York (N = 119) | $35,880 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, New York (N = 157) | 56% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Columbia University, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page