Columbia vs. Brown

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

Columbia Brown
Location New York, NY Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 34,782 11,189
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #22 #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia Brown
Tuition (In State) $62,570 $62,680
Tuition (Out of State) $62,570 $62,680
Room & Board $16,286 $15,840
Avg Net Price $22,058 $26,723
Avg Grant Aid $61,061 $55,847
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 46%

Admission

Columbia Brown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,879 50,649
Admitted 2,404 2,562
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 5.1%
Enrolled % 64.1% 67%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 34/36
SAT Range 1490/1580 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 1, 2024 Jan 5, 2024

Academics

Columbia Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Columbia Brown
Graduation Rate 93% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 $87,600
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $155

Diversity

Columbia Brown
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 43%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 13% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 15% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

Columbia Brown
% In-State 19% 3%
% Out-of-State 64% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Brown based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 11,189 students)

Columbia vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or Brown?

  • Brown University is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Columbia for in-state tuition ($62,680.00 vs. $62,570.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Brown than Columbia University in the City of New York ($62,680.00 vs. $62,570.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than Brown ($22,058 vs. $26,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 2.8% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($15,840 vs. $16,286)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than Brown University (52% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 9.3% larger than aid received Brown University ($61,061 vs. $55,847)

Columbia vs. Brown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 16 points higher than at Brown (1457)
  • Incoming Columbia students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Brown (33)
  • Accepted freshman Brown students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Columbia (3.91)
  • Brown has a higher acceptance rate (5.1%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Columbia vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia or Brown? 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 Brown and Columbia.

  • The graduation rate at Brown 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 $20,000 more per year than Brown graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $87,600)
  • Brown University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($15,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Brown graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($155 vs. $222)
  • More Brown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 76%)

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