Columbia University vs New York University: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Net Price

Columbia University is the more selective of the two, admitting 3.9% of applicants versus 9.2% at New York University. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $8,186 per year at Columbia University versus $24,567 at New York University. Admitted students post SAT middle-50% ranges of 1510–1560 at Columbia University and 1480–1550 at New York University.

Columbia University vs New York University: admissions and cost statistics from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard
MetricColumbia UniversityNew York University
Overall acceptance rate3.9%9.2%
Early acceptance rate13.2%16.0%
SAT middle 50%1510–15601480–1550
Avg unweighted GPA3.933.87
Yield rate61.0%60.0%
Class size1,4835,666
Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income$8,186$24,567
Net price, over $110,000 income$40,538$58,901

Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2024–25 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.

Frequently asked questions

Is Columbia University harder to get into than New York University?

Yes. Columbia University admits 3.9% of applicants, compared with 9.2% at New York University, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.

Which is cheaper for a middle-income family, Columbia University or New York University?

For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $8,186 per year at Columbia University and $24,567 at New York University, so Columbia University is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).

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