New York, NY · 9k students
Trajecta score
+2.5 since '20Ranked #14 of 2,375
5-year trend
83.0 · #12
2020
88.2 · #5
2021
84.5 · #11
2022
85.8 · #10
2023
85.5 · #14
2024
Academic Profile
98/ 100
Career Outcomes
89/ 100
Student Success
96/ 100
Affordability
61/ 100
Academic Investment
100/ 100
Access & Equity
52/ 100
Academic Profile
98
Career Outcomes
89
Student Success
96
Affordability
61
Academic Investment
100
Access & Equity
52
AI Fit Analysis
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Cost / Net Price
$89k / $22k
SAT Avg
1,553
Retention
98%
Grad Rate
96%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$71,845
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$71,845
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
23%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
14%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$21,500
Admissions Factors
Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Columbia University in the City of New York reports weighing in admissions.
| Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Rigor of secondary school record: Very Important | |||
| Class rank | Class rank: Important | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Very Important | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Very Important | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Very Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Important | |||
| Interview | Interview: Very Important | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Important | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Important | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Very Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Very Important | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Not Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Considered | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Very Important | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Very Important |
Supplemental Essays · 2025-26
school's admissions site ↗List question: texts, resources and outlets
Required100 wordsList a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy.
Lived experience and Columbia's collaborative environment
Required150 wordsTell us about an aspect of your life so far or your lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia's multidimensional and collaborative environment.
A time you did not agree with someone
Required150 wordsAt Columbia, students representing a wide range of perspectives are invited to live and learn together. In such a community, questions and debates naturally arise. Please describe a time when you did not agree with someone and discuss how you engaged with them and what you took away from the interaction.
Navigating adversity
Required150 wordsIn college/university, students are often challenged in ways that they could not anticipate. Please describe a situation in which you have navigated through adversity and discuss how you changed as a result.
Why Columbia
Required150 wordsWhy are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia.
Preferred areas of study
Required150 wordsWhat attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering?
Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →
Methodology
The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.
Read the full methodologyMedian earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.
Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.
Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.
Graduation rate and first-year retention.
Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.
Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.
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