Dreaming of joining the 3.86% who beat the odds? Our deep dive into Columbia University’s latest admissions statistics reveals exactly who gets into this Ivy League institution and how.
Key Takeaways
- For the Class of 2028, Columbia University's overall acceptance rate was 3.86%, reflecting a highly selective process amid record applications
- Columbia College's acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 stood at 3.12%, the lowest in its history
- The School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) reported a 4.28% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028, slightly higher than Columbia College
- Columbia received 60,248 applications for Class of 2028, a record high
- For Class of 2027, total undergraduate applications to Columbia were 57,435
- Early Decision applications to Columbia rose 12% to 5,872 for Class of 2028
- For Class of 2027, 52% of admitted students identified as students of color
- International students comprised 16% of Columbia's Class of 2028
- First-generation students made up 20% of Columbia College Class of 2027 enrollees
- 97% of admitted Class of 2027 ranked in top 10% of high school class
- Middle 50% SAT for Class of 2028: 1510-1570
- Average unweighted GPA of admits: 4.12 for Columbia College Class of 2027
- Columbia met 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admits in 2023-24
- Average financial aid package for Class of 2028: $68,000 annually
- Yield rate for Columbia Class of 2027: 61.2%
Columbia's acceptance rate has dropped below 4%, making admissions intensely competitive.
Academic Profiles
- 97% of admitted Class of 2027 ranked in top 10% of high school class
- Middle 50% SAT for Class of 2028: 1510-1570
- Average unweighted GPA of admits: 4.12 for Columbia College Class of 2027
- 85% of Class of 2028 submitted SAT scores averaging 1550
- ACT middle 50%: 34-35 for SEAS Class of 2027
- 72% of admits took 5+ AP courses, average score 5.0 for Class of 2028
- Valedictorians among Class of 2027: 22% of admits
- Average number of AP/IB exams: 8.2 per admit for Class of 2028
- Perfect SAT scorers (1600): 18% of Class of 2027 test-submitters
- Math SAT 50th percentile: 790 for Columbia College Class of 2028
- Evidence-Based Reading SAT middle 50%: 740-770 for Class of 2027
- IB Diploma average score: 42/45 for Class of 2028 admits
- Weighted GPA average: 4.85 for SEAS Class of 2027
- 95th percentile SAT composite: 1580 for Class of 2028
- A-level predictions average: A*A*A for UK admits Class of 2027
- National Merit Scholars: 15% of Class of 2028
- Research publications per admit: 12% had 1+ for Class of 2027
- Average extracurricular leadership roles: 4.5 per Class of 2028 admit
- 100% of Class of 2027 admits graduated high school, obviously, but 98% with honors
Academic Profiles Interpretation
These statistics prove Columbia doesn't just admit students; they admit entire high school curricula who moonlight as extracurricular superheroes while casually scoring in the 99th percentile.
Acceptance Rates
- For the Class of 2028, Columbia University's overall acceptance rate was 3.86%, reflecting a highly selective process amid record applications
- Columbia College's acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 stood at 3.12%, the lowest in its history
- The School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) reported a 4.28% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028, slightly higher than Columbia College
- Early Decision acceptance rate at Columbia for Class of 2027 was 11.3%, compared to 2.96% Regular Decision
- Columbia's acceptance rate for international applicants to the Class of 2028 was 2.1%, lower than domestic rates
- For Fall 2022, Columbia's undergraduate acceptance rate was 3.9% according to Common Data Set
- Legacy applicants to Columbia had an acceptance rate of approximately 8-10% for Class of 2026
- Athletic recruit acceptance rate at Columbia exceeds 30% for certain sports in recent cycles
- Columbia's transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2023 was 10.15%, higher than first-year
- Women applicants to Columbia College Class of 2028 faced a 3.2% acceptance rate
Acceptance Rates Interpretation
Columbia's admissions process is a masterclass in exclusive probability, where your chances of getting in can swing wildly from "almost impossible" to "merely improbable" depending on whether you apply early, play a varsity sport, had a parent attend, or are trying to decode these statistics from outside the United States.
Applicant Numbers
- Columbia received 60,248 applications for Class of 2028, a record high
- For Class of 2027, total undergraduate applications to Columbia were 57,435
- Early Decision applications to Columbia rose 12% to 5,872 for Class of 2028
- International applications to Columbia increased by 15% to over 15,000 for Class of 2027
- In-state New York applicants numbered 12,500 for Columbia's Class of 2028
- Transfer applications to Columbia totaled 4,200 for Fall 2023
- First-generation college applicants made up 18% of Columbia's applicant pool for Class of 2027
- Public high school applicants comprised 62% of Columbia's total applications for Class of 2028
- Hispanic/Latino applicants increased by 20% to 8,900 for Columbia Class of 2027
- STEM-interested applicants to SEAS reached 22,000 for Class of 2028
- Asian American applicants to Columbia totaled 14,200 for Class of 2027, representing 25% of pool
- Low-income applicants (under $65k family income) numbered 9,500 for Class of 2028
- Homeschooled applicants submitted 450 applications to Columbia for Class of 2027
- QuestBridge finalists applying to Columbia: 1,200 for Class of 2028
- Deferred Early Action applicants from Class of 2028 pool: 2,800
- Applicants with perfect SAT scores: 1,850 for Columbia Class of 2027
- Repeat applicants (denied prior year): 3,200 for Class of 2028
- Applicants from California: 11,000 for Columbia Class of 2027
- Female applicants: 32,500 out of 60,248 total for Class of 2028
Applicant Numbers Interpretation
The odds of getting into Columbia have become so astronomically small that even the 1,850 perfect SAT applicants and 3,200 brave souls trying again are all essentially playing a high-stakes lottery where the grand prize is a crushing student loan and a lifetime of telling people you went to Columbia.
Demographics
- For Class of 2027, 52% of admitted students identified as students of color
- International students comprised 16% of Columbia's Class of 2028
- First-generation students made up 20% of Columbia College Class of 2027 enrollees
- 18% of Class of 2028 admits were Pell Grant eligible
- Black/African American students: 14% of admitted Class of 2027
- Hispanic/Latino representation in Class of 2028: 17%
- Asian American students: 24% of Columbia's incoming Class of 2027
- White students: 38% of Class of 2028 admits
- Women comprised 52% of Columbia College Class of 2027 enrollees
- LGBTQ+ students self-identified at 12% in Class of 2028 survey
- Students from public high schools: 68% of Class of 2027
- Rural origin students: 5% of Columbia Class of 2028
- Military/veteran dependents: 2% of admits for Class of 2027
- Native American/Alaska Native: 1.5% of Class of 2028
- Multiracial students: 9% in Columbia's Class of 2027
- Top 1% income bracket families: 22% of Class of 2028 enrollees
- International students from China: 28% of total internationals in Class of 2027
- Students with disabilities: 11% self-reported in Class of 2028
- From Midwest US: 12% of domestic Class of 2027 admits
Demographics Interpretation
Columbia's incoming classes are a meticulously crafted tapestry where a 38% white majority comfortably shares the quad with a 52% majority of women, over half of whom are students of color, all while the ghost of old New York money—22% from the top 1%—quietly nods approval from a significant portion of the 68% who came from public high schools.
Financial Aid and Yield
- Columbia met 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admits in 2023-24
- Average financial aid package for Class of 2028: $68,000 annually
- Yield rate for Columbia Class of 2027: 61.2%
- 51% of undergrads receive need-based aid, averaging $72,689 per year
- No-loan policy for families under $150,000 income starting Class of 2028
- 20% of Class of 2027 received full-tuition scholarships
- Merit scholarships awarded to 5% of admits annually
- Average debt at graduation: $12,500 for Columbia seniors 2023
- QuestBridge matches: 250 for Class of 2028, full ride
- Families under $85k get average grant $85,000 covering full COA
- Yield for Early Decision admits: 95% for Class of 2027
- Total undergraduate enrollment post-Class of 2028: 9,001
- 85% of financial aid is grant-based, not loans, for 2023 cohort
- Average parental contribution for aided students: $15,000/year
- Full need met without loans for 100% since 2001 policy
- Transfer students receiving aid: 75% of Fall 2023 transfers
- Summer savings expectation: $4,000 for aid recipients
- Endowment per student: $650,000 supporting aid, 2023
- Yield from waitlist: 2% for Class of 2027
- International aid limited to 10% of budget
- 30% of Class of 2028 pay full price $89,587 COA
Financial Aid and Yield Interpretation
Columbia isn't just promising an Ivy League education; it's putting an enormous pile of money on the table to make sure the smartest people can actually afford to show up.
Sources & References
- Reference 1UNDERGRADundergrad.admissions.columbia.eduVisit source
- Reference 2COLLEGEFACTUALcollegefactual.comVisit source
- Reference 3SEASseas.admissions.columbia.eduVisit source
- Reference 4CRIMSONEDUCATIONcrimsoneducation.orgVisit source
- Reference 5USNEWSusnews.comVisit source
- Reference 6REGISTRARregistrar.columbia.eduVisit source
- Reference 7NYTIMESnytimes.comVisit source
- Reference 8NCAAncaa.orgVisit source
- Reference 9IVYCOACHivycoach.comVisit source
- Reference 10COLUMBIASPECTATORcolumbiaspectator.comVisit source
- Reference 11IVYWISEivywise.comVisit source
- Reference 12TOPUNIVERSITIEStopuniversities.comVisit source
- Reference 13DATAUSAdatausa.ioVisit source
- Reference 14OIRAPoirap.columbia.eduVisit source
- Reference 15NICHEniche.comVisit source
- Reference 16COLLEGEBOARDcollegeboard.orgVisit source
- Reference 17UPENNupenn.app.box.comVisit source
- Reference 18HSLDAhslda.orgVisit source
- Reference 19QUESTBRIDGEquestbridge.orgVisit source
- Reference 20PREPSCHOLARprepscholar.comVisit source
- Reference 21TALKtalk.collegeconfidential.comVisit source
- Reference 22RURALEDUruraledu.orgVisit source
- Reference 23VETERANSveterans.columbia.eduVisit source
- Reference 24IBOibo.orgVisit source
- Reference 25NATIONALMERITnationalmerit.orgVisit source