Columbia vs. UVA

Should I go to Columbia University in the City of New York or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia or UVA 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

William & Mary UNC Chapel Hill Harvard JMU Yale Barnard Virginia Tech Princeton Michigan University of Richmond Georgetown Washington and Lee
Columbia University in the City of New York vs. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
Columbia University in the City of New York University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
Columbia University in the City of New York University of Virginia Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Columbia UVA
Location New York, NY Charlottesville, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 34,782 26,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #22 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia UVA
Tuition (In State) $62,570 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $62,570 $51,870
Room & Board $16,286 $12,890
Avg Net Price $22,058 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $61,061 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 34%

Admission

 Columbia UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,879 50,926
Admitted 2,404 9,503
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 18.7%
Enrolled % 64.1% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/35 32/34
SAT Range 1490/1580 1400/1540
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

Academics

 Columbia UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Columbia UVA
Graduation Rate 93% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $201

Diversity

 Columbia UVA
% Men 46% 45%
% Women 54% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 38% 60%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 15% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 Columbia UVA
% In-State 19% 62%
% Out-of-State 64% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than UVA based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 26,082 students)

Columbia vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or UVA?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 268.5% more expensive to attend than UVA for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.6% higher at Columbia than University of Virginia Main Campus ($62,570.00 vs. $51,870.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Virginia Main Campus than Columbia ($19,469 vs. $22,058)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 26.3% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($12,890 vs. $16,286)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than University of Virginia Main Campus (52% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 127.7% larger than aid received University of Virginia Main Campus ($61,061 vs. $26,818)

Columbia vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 109 points higher than at UVA (1364)
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UVA (31)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at UVA (3.85)
  • UVA has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Columbia vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (94% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $30,400 more per year than UVA graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $77,200)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UVA graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 76%)

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