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Harvard Princeton Yale Barnard Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern| Cornell University | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cornell | Columbia | ||
| Location | Ithaca, NY | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 26,264 | 35,279 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #19 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cornell.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cornell | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $65,204 | $65,340 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $65,204 | $65,340 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,554 | $16,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,455 | $20,869 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $56,741 | $65,173 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 51% | 52% |
Admission |
Cornell | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 65,635 | 57,613 | ||
| Admitted | 5,358 | 2,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 8.2% | 4.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 66% | 63.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.9 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1480/1560 | 1490/1570 | ||
| 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 2, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Cornell | Columbia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cornell | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 93% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $98,400 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,000 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $124 | $222 |
Diversity |
Cornell | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 19% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 42% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 41% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 10% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 8% | 3% |
Students |
Cornell | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 32% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 55% | 64% | ||
Campus |
Cornell | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | 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 Cornell based on total student enrollment (35,279 students vs. 26,264 students)
Cornell vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Cornell for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $65,204.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Columbia than Cornell University ($65,340.00 vs. $65,204.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than Cornell ($20,869 vs. $26,455)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 10.4% lower than costs at Cornell University ($16,800 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than Cornell University (52% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 14.9% larger than aid received Cornell University ($65,173 vs. $56,741)
Cornell vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cornell or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or Cornell .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 45 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Cornell (32)
- Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Cornell (3.9)
- Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (8.2%) than Columbia (4.2%)
Cornell vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cornell or Columbia? 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 Columbia and Cornell.
- The graduation rate at Cornell is the same as at Columbia University in the City of New York (93% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $9,200 more per year than Cornell graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $98,400)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($12,000 vs. $21,500)
- Cornell graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($124 vs. $222)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/