Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Amherst Harvard Yale Barnard Middlebury Princeton Dartmouth Cornell Swarthmore UChicago Hamilton College NYU| Williams College | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Williams | Columbia | ||
| Location | Williamstown, MA | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,222 | 34,782 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #13 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | williams.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Williams | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $61,450 | $62,570 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $61,450 | $62,570 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,530 | $16,286 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,965 | $22,058 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $57,121 | $61,061 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 45% | 52% |
Admission |
Williams | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,321 | 60,879 | ||
| Admitted | 1,302 | 2,404 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 8.5% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 44.3% | 64.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.94 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1480/1570 | 1490/1580 | ||
| 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 10, 2024 | Jan 1, 2024 |
Academics |
Williams | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 6:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Williams | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 95% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $73,600 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,582 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $150 | $222 |
Diversity |
Williams | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 54% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Williams | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 76% | 64% | ||
Campus |
Williams | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Williams based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 2,222 students)
Williams vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Williams or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 1.8% more expensive to attend than Williams for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $61,450.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at Columbia than Williams College ($62,570.00 vs. $61,450.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Williams College than Columbia ($20,965 vs. $22,058)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Williams College are 4.9% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($15,530 vs. $16,286)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than Williams College (52% vs. 45%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 6.9% larger than aid received Williams College ($61,061 vs. $57,121)
Williams vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Williams or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or Williams .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 31 points higher than at Williams (1442)
- Incoming Williams students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Columbia (33)
- Accepted freshman Williams students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Columbia (3.91)
- Williams has a higher acceptance rate (8.5%) than Columbia (3.9%)
Williams vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Williams 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 Williams.
- The graduation rate at Williams is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (95% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $34,000 more per year than Williams graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $73,600)
- Williams College students graduate with a $6,918 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($14,582 vs. $21,500)
- Williams graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($150 vs. $222)
- More Williams graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/