NYU vs. Columbia vs. Cornell

Should I go to New York University or Columbia University in the City of New York? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NYU or Columbia 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. 

BU Barnard Harvard Princeton Yale Georgetown Penn Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate Fordham UChicago
New York University vs. Columbia University in the City of New York vs. Cornell University comparison
New York University Columbia University in the City of New York Cornell University College 4
New York University Columbia University in the City of New York Cornell University
Remove Remove Remove +Add

Overview

 NYU Columbia Cornell
Location New York, NY New York, NY Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Large City Small City
Enrollment 57,335 35,279 26,264
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #22 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website nyu.edu columbia.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 NYU Columbia Cornell
Tuition (In State) $60,438 $65,340 $65,204
Tuition (Out of State) $60,438 $65,340 $65,204
Room & Board $22,786 $16,800 $18,554
Avg Net Price $30,730 $20,869 $26,455
Avg Grant Aid $48,269 $65,173 $56,741
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 52% 51%

Admission

 NYU Columbia Cornell
Applied 113,578 57,613 65,635
Admitted 10,693 2,439 5,358
Acceptance Rate 9.4% 4.2% 8.2%
Enrolled % 54.4% 63.1% 66%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35 33/35
SAT Range 1480/1570 1490/1570 1480/1560
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

 NYU Columbia Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 6:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

 NYU Columbia Cornell
Graduation Rate 86% 93% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,000 $107,600 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 76% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $21,500 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $222 $124

Diversity

 NYU Columbia Cornell
% Men 20% 33% 19%
% Women 28% 42% 20%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 34% 38% 41%
% Black 5% 8% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 13% 12%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5% 4%
% International 17% 15% 10%
% Unknown Race 8% 3% 8%

Students

 NYU Columbia Cornell
% In-State 23% 19% 32%
% Out-of-State 50% 64% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • New York University is larger than than Columbia based on total student enrollment (57,335 students vs. 35,279 students)

NYU vs. Columbia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NYU or Columbia?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 8.1% more expensive to attend than NYU for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $60,438.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.1% higher at Columbia than New York University ($65,340.00 vs. $60,438.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than NYU ($20,869 vs. $30,730)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 35.6% lower than costs at New York University ($16,800 vs. $22,786)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than New York University (52% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 35% larger than aid received New York University ($65,173 vs. $48,269)

NYU vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 113 points higher than at NYU (1360)
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at NYU (31)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at NYU (3.79)
  • NYU has a higher acceptance rate (9.4%) than Columbia (4.2%)

NYU vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NYU 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 NYU.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than New York University (93% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $31,600 more per year than NYU graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $76,000)
  • Columbia University in the City of New York students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than NYU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Columbia graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than NYU graduates. ($222 vs. $240)
  • More NYU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 76%)

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