UC Berkeley vs. Columbia

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

 UC Berkeley Columbia
Location Berkeley, CA New York, NY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 45,699 35,279
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #64 #22
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu columbia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley Columbia
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $65,340
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $65,340
Room & Board $22,692 $16,800
Avg Net Price $16,997 $20,869
Avg Grant Aid $25,951 $65,173
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 52%

Admission

 UC Berkeley Columbia
Applied 125,910 57,613
Admitted 14,677 2,439
Acceptance Rate 11.7% 4.2%
Enrolled % 45.2% 63.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 30/35 34/35
SAT Range 1310/1530 1490/1570
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 UC Berkeley Columbia
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley Columbia
Graduation Rate 90% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $107,600
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $146 $222

Diversity

 UC Berkeley Columbia
% Men 14% 33%
% Women 13% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 38%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 14% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 15%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 UC Berkeley Columbia
% In-State 79% 19%
% Out-of-State 10% 64%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than Columbia based on total student enrollment (45,699 students vs. 35,279 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Columbia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Columbia?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 452.1% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.3% higher at Columbia than University of California Berkeley ($65,340.00 vs. $42,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than Columbia ($16,997 vs. $20,869)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 35.1% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($16,800 vs. $22,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than University of California Berkeley (52% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 151.1% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($65,173 vs. $25,951)

UC Berkeley vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 76 points higher than at UC Berkeley (1397)
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UC Berkeley (32)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at UC Berkeley (3.87)
  • UC Berkeley has a higher acceptance rate (11.7%) than Columbia (4.2%)

UC Berkeley vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than University of California Berkeley (93% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $32,900 more per year than UC Berkeley graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $74,700)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $7,300 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($14,200 vs. $21,500)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($146 vs. $222)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 76%)

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