Columbia vs. Penn State

Deciding between Columbia University in the City of New York and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Columbia University in the City of New York
Penn State Main Campus

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Columbia New York, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Columbia Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbia 35,173
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Columbia Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbia #22
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbia -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Columbia Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbia
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbia $71,845
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbia $71,845
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Columbia $17,580
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbia $22,520
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbia $67,010
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbia 52%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Columbia 60,115
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Columbia 2,400
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Columbia 4%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Columbia 64.9%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Columbia 1550
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Columbia 34
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Columbia 3.91
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Columbia A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Columbia Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Columbia Extreme
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Columbia 34/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Columbia 1510/1580
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Columbia Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Columbia Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbia 6:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbia
    • Social Sciences (26%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
    • History (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbia 93%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbia $107,600
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbia 76%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbia $21,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbia $222
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbia 45%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Columbia 55%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbia Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Columbia No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Columbia 38%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Columbia 18%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Columbia 8%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbia 13%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Columbia 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbia 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbia 5%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Columbia 15%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbia 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbia 16%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbia 63%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Columbia Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Columbia Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Columbia Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Columbia No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Columbia No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia University in the City of New York in New York, NY with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Columbia based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 35,173 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia University in the City of New York 6:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Columbia vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than Penn State ($22,520 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 17.7% lower than at Columbia University in the City of New York ($14,474 vs. $17,580).
  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 248% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $51,201 more per year; $71,845.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 71.9% higher at Columbia than at Penn State Main Campus (about $30,055 more per year; $71,845.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than at Penn State Main Campus (52% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 491.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($67,010 vs. $11,336).

Columbia vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Columbia.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Columbia University in the City of New York (1550) is 220 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Columbia University in the City of New York 1510/1580; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Columbia University in the City of New York 34/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbia - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Columbia Jan 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Columbia (4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 64.9% at Columbia vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Columbia vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Columbia University in the City of New York's six-year graduation rate (93%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median of about $52,300 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($107,600 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Columbia University in the City of New York graduates have a $5,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($21,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Columbia graduates have an estimated $55 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($222 vs. $277).
  • More Columbia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.