CostByCollegeAdmissions
Columbia acceptance rate
The acceptance rate at Columbia University in the City of New York is 4.2% for fall 2023. Out of 57,613 applicants, 2,439 were admitted and 1,540 enrolled.
The application numbers
| Figure | Fall 2023 |
|---|---|
| Applicants, fall 2023 | 57,613 |
| Admitted, fall 2023 | 2,439 |
| Acceptance rate, fall 2023 | 4.2% |
| Admitted students who enrolled, fall 2023 | 1,540 |
How this rate compares
Against the New York pilot school average of 28.6%, the rate at Columbia University in the City of New York is 24.4 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.
Against the national pilot school average of 53.0%, the rate at Columbia University in the City of New York is 48.8 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.
Averages here are simple averages across the pilot schools that publish a rate, 16 schools in New York and 235 schools nationwide on this site.
What the acceptance rate does and does not mean
The acceptance rate is the share of applicants who were offered a place. It is worked out by dividing the number of students admitted by the number who applied, for fall 2023.
A low rate means many more people applied than the school could admit. It does not by itself prove that a school is better, that teaching is stronger, or that graduates earn more. Some schools draw very large applicant pools because applying is free or simple, and some excellent schools admit a large share of a smaller, well matched pool.
A high rate does not mean admission is automatic. Schools still set entry requirements, and popular programs inside a school can be far harder to enter than the overall rate suggests. The rate also says nothing about cost. Read it beside the total cost, the average net price, and the outcomes on the cost page for Columbia University in the City of New York.
Similar schools to compare
- Barnard College, New York, New York. Total cost $89,808 for one year.
- Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Total cost $88,140 for one year.
- New York University, New York, New York. Total cost $87,752 for one year.
- Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York. Total cost $87,470 for one year.
- Colgate University, Hamilton, New York. Total cost $87,070 for one year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Columbia?
The acceptance rate at Columbia University in the City of New York is 4.2% for fall 2023. It is the number admitted, 2,439, divided by the number who applied, 57,613.
How many students apply to Columbia each year?
In fall 2023, 57,613 students applied to Columbia University in the City of New York, 2,439 were admitted, and 1,540 admitted students enrolled.
How selective is Columbia compared with other schools in New York?
The average acceptance rate across the pilot schools in New York that publish a rate is 28.6%, and the national average across the pilot schools on this site is 53.0%. The rate at Columbia University in the City of New York is 4.2%.
Does a low acceptance rate mean a school is better?
No. A low rate means far more people applied than the school could admit. It says nothing on its own about teaching quality, cost, or graduate earnings, which is why this site prints the rate beside cost and outcomes figures.
How much does Columbia cost?
The total cost for one year at Columbia University in the City of New York is $89,587 for in state students. The cost page on this site breaks that total into tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia?
The graduation rate at Columbia University in the City of New York is 95%, measuring the share of a starting cohort that finished within one and a half times the normal program length.
Sources: the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, United States Department of Education. Admissions figures are for fall 2023. See the methodology page for full detail.