Columbia University in the City of New York Scholarships & Financial Aid

Columbia University in the City of New York Financial Aid Overview

Columbia University in the City of New York Cost

Cost of Attendance:

The sticker price at Columbia is $77,603.00. This sticker price includes costs for tuition, books and supplies, room and board, and other miscellaneous expenses.

It’s also important to note that the cost of tuition can vary from year to year and you can expect the cost of tuition to rise over your four years in college. With that said, your financial aid will also be recalculated each year which will take into account any tuition increases.

Columbia University in the City of New York Net Price

The sticker cost of Columbia University in the City of New York is not actually what students will pay. Depending on factors such as student and parent finances, the actual cost can be lower. This price that takes financial aid into account is also known as a “net price.”

Columbia University in the City of New York Financial Aid

Pell Grants at Columbia University in the City of New York

23% of students at Columbia University in the City of New York receive Pell Grants, which are awarded to undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need (students who have a bachelor’s or professional degree are not eligible). Pell Grants are awarded by the federal government and do not need to be repaid. To apply for a Pell Grant, students will need to submit their FAFSA. If you are awarded a Pell Grant, you’ll see it listed in your financial aid award letter if you are accepted to Columbia University in the City of New York.

You can learn more about Pell Grant eligibility here.

Outside Scholarships

Columbia Questbridge Scholarships

Columbia is a member of Questbridge, which is a prestigious scholarship program that supports high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. Students who are “matched” to Columbia University in the City of New York through Questbridge receive a four year, full ride scholarship to the school. If you are interested in learning more about Questbridge, you can check out our Questbridge Scholarship guide.

Columbia University in the City of New York Student Debt

Student Loan Stats:

In addition to scholarships and financial aid, student loans are another way that students can pay for college. However, unlike other types of aid, student loans need to be repaid. This is why it’s so important to know how much student loan debt you are taking out.

19% percent of Columbia University in the City of New York students take out federal student loans. The average student at Columbia University in the City of New York takes out in student loan debt, which winds up being a $214.93 payment per month. The important thing to remember about these numbers is that they only include federal student loans and not private student loans.

Parent PLUS loans are another type of student loan that families may use to pay for college. While Parent PLUS Loans are offered by the federal government, they are not included in the above federal student loan metrics because they are not technically taken out by students. The median amount of Parent PLUS loan debt at Columbia is $54,779.00. Between 0% and 5% percent of parents of Columbia University in the City of New York students will take out these Parent PLUS Loans.

If you want to learn more about Parent PLUS Loans, you can check out the pros and cons of borrowing them.

Is Columbia Worth it?

College is an investment, which is why it is important to assess the return on your education. To understand your return on investment or ROI, you will need to first understand what that investment will look like financially.

By completing the net price calculator, you will have a good sense of how much Columbia will cost you. This will also give you a sense of how much debt you can expect to graduate with.

Once you have a sense of your investment, you can think about your “return” or what you will get out of an education at Columbia University in the City of New York. In other words, what types of outcomes can you expect?

The important factors to consider when thinking about outcomes are the graduation rate of the institution, as well as your expected earnings.

Here’s how Columbia stacks up:

• 6-year graduation rate: not reported
• Median earnings (10 years after graduation): $89,871.00

Note that the average earnings will vary by both major and intended career, so this is not a perfect metric, but should serve as a good starting point.

Columbia University in the City of New York Financial Aid Resources

If you are looking for more information about financial aid and scholarships at Columbia or have questions that are specific to your personal situation, we recommend that you reach out directly to the financial aid office!

Here’s how you can get in touch:

• Website: Columbia University in the City of New York Office of Financial Aid
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 212-854-3711