Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, New York · Private · 8,973 undergraduates · columbia.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
4.9%
of 59,611 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1510 to 1560
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$107,910Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Columbia University in the City of New York
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
4.9% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 4.9% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
75% of freshmen had a weighted high school GPA of 4.0 or higher (average 4.25).
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$107,910
a year in 2027-28, from a $107,910 sticker price
What to do with your 1540
Send your score
About 37% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1450, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- AP and other optional exams are accepted but not required. Required national secondary-school exams (e.g., A Level, IB, French Baccalaureate) must be submitted. These do not replace the SAT/ACT.
Changing for fall 2028 (2027-2028 admission cycle, applications from august 2027): test required.
Source: Testing Policy | Columbia Undergraduate Admissions · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Nov1Other deadline · November 1, 2026
- Jan1Regular Decision · January 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
4.9%
of applicants were admitted: 2,946 of 59,611 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 14% of early applicants were admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 50% of them sent SAT scores and 17% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1510 to 1560
Reading and Writing 740 to 777
Math 760 to 800
ACT composite 34 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160098%
- 1200 to 13992%
- 1000 to 11990%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 4.25
- 4.075%
- 3.75 to 3.9921%
- 3.50 to 3.743.3%
- 3.25 to 3.490.9%
- 3.00 to 3.240.1%
- 2.50 to 2.990%
- Below 2.500%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$107,910
a year
- Tuition$78,740
- Fees$4,500
- Food and housing$21,250
- Books and supplies$1,430
- Transportation and other$1,990
Columbia University in the City of New York published $99,774 for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$2,275
- $30,001 to $48,000$4,020
- $48,001 to $75,000$4,878
- $75,001 to $110,000$8,881
- Over $110,000$40,931
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$78,198
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 2/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Also asks for
- Parent and student income tax forms
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
24 of 25
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,870Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 5 | 3 | |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 3 | |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 3 | |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 6 | |
| Chemistry | 4 | 3 | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POLS UN1201 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 | COMS W1004 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 3 | |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 3 | |
| European History | 5 | 3 | |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | ||
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | ||
| Latin | 5 | 3 | |
| Macroeconomics | 5 | 4 | ECON UN1105 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON UN1105 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 3 | |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 3 | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 3 | |
| Psychology | 5 | PSYC UN1001 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | ||
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | ||
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 3 | |
| Statistics | 5 | 3 | |
| United States Government and Politics | 5 | 4 | POLS UN1201 |
| United States History | 5 | 3 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
95%
Come back for a second year
98%
Typical earnings
$109,430
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Columbia University in the City of New York$97,859
- All colleges$69,240
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 24 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Columbia University in the City of New York.