Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, New York · Private, nonprofit

Of 85 assessed programs, 82 leave graduates out-earning a typical New York high-school graduate (about $35,746/yr) and 3 fall short. Another 253 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$4,570
$30k to $48k	$2,275
$48k to $75k	$5,866
$75k to $110k	$11,782
$110k and up	$50,621
All families (average)	$21,590

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

85 of 338 programs could be assessed 25% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical New York high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Management Science	Master's Degree	$116,859	+$81,113	clears the bar	$61,130	0.8 yrs	1,533
Social Work	Master's Degree	$75,980	+$40,234	clears the bar	$82,150	2.0 yrs	532
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Master's Degree	$130,948 1-year earnings	+$95,202	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	503
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	$150,951	+$115,205	clears the bar	$53,545	0.5 yrs	417
Law	First Professional Degree	$308,943	+$273,197	clears the bar	$198,924	0.7 yrs	410
Architectural Sciences and Technology	Master's Degree	$83,355	+$47,609	clears the bar	$111,550	2.3 yrs	386
Journalism	Master's Degree	$78,880	+$43,134	clears the bar	$69,000	1.6 yrs	380
Computer Science	Master's Degree	$161,851 1-year earnings	+$126,105	clears the bar	$41,000	0.3 yrs	361
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$188,265	+$152,519	clears the bar	$19,594	0.1 yrs	357
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$137,710	+$101,964	clears the bar	$25,000	0.2 yrs	327
Public Health	Master's Degree	$98,728	+$62,982	clears the bar	$72,167	1.1 yrs	320
Real Estate Development	Master's Degree	$144,863	+$109,117	clears the bar	$94,551	0.9 yrs	289
Statistics	Master's Degree	$167,848	+$132,102	clears the bar	$78,000	0.6 yrs	266
Nursing	Master's Degree	$142,412	+$106,666	clears the bar	$116,593	1.1 yrs	254
Public Health	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$99,797	+$64,051	clears the bar	$66,000	1.0 yrs	245
Public Administration	Master's Degree	$115,874	+$80,128	clears the bar	$71,000	0.9 yrs	241
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$100,245	+$64,499	clears the bar	$21,500	0.3 yrs	225
Sustainability Studies	Master's Degree	$123,641	+$87,895	clears the bar	$61,500	0.7 yrs	193
Research Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$86,946	+$51,200	clears the bar	$19,347	0.4 yrs	163
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Master's Degree	$108,698	+$72,952	clears the bar	$74,333	1.0 yrs	156
International Relations	Master's Degree	$107,574	+$71,828	clears the bar	$80,500	1.1 yrs	154
Medicine	First Professional Degree	$106,442	+$70,696	clears the bar	$63,865	0.9 yrs	149
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Master's Degree	$166,264	+$130,518	clears the bar	$57,410	0.4 yrs	126
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Master's Degree	$53,592	+$17,846	clears the bar	$88,235	4.9 yrs	124
Electrical Engineering	Master's Degree	$152,001	+$116,255	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	113
History	Bachelor's Degree	$98,079	+$62,333	clears the bar	$21,500	0.3 yrs	111
Mechanical Engineering	Master's Degree	$137,970	+$102,224	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	108
Film and Photography	Master's Degree	$56,444	+$20,698	clears the bar	$163,605	7.9 yrs	99
IT Administration and Management	Master's Degree	$185,150 1-year earnings	+$149,404	clears the bar	$82,682	0.6 yrs	95
Dentistry	First Professional Degree	$182,326	+$146,580	clears the bar	$324,057	2.2 yrs	95
Biomedical Engineering	Master's Degree	$86,161 1-year earnings	+$50,415	clears the bar	$79,500	1.6 yrs	94
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$102,199	+$66,453	clears the bar	$87,000	1.3 yrs	88
Civil Engineering	Master's Degree	$111,924	+$76,178	clears the bar	$32,685	0.4 yrs	84
English	Bachelor's Degree	$59,396	+$23,650	clears the bar	$25,000	1.1 yrs	82
Neuroscience	Bachelor's Degree	$70,244	+$34,498	clears the bar	$24,812	0.7 yrs	81
Chemical Engineering	Master's Degree	$114,037	+$78,291	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	76
Visual and Performing Arts, Other	Bachelor's Degree	$46,535	+$10,789	clears the bar	$26,985	2.5 yrs	74
Operations Research	Bachelor's Degree	$167,572	+$131,826	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	73
Physical and Occupational Therapy	First Professional Degree	$92,870	+$57,124	clears the bar	$152,583	2.7 yrs	71
Theatre	Master's Degree	$57,723	+$21,977	clears the bar	$131,963	6.0 yrs	68
Healthcare Administration	Master's Degree	$144,395	+$108,649	clears the bar	$66,000	0.6 yrs	67
Natural Resources and Conservation	Master's Degree	$98,458	+$62,712	clears the bar	$62,424	1.0 yrs	65
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$53,698	+$17,952	clears the bar	$20,000	1.1 yrs	65
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Master's Degree	$107,139	+$71,393	clears the bar	$92,058	1.3 yrs	64
Communications and Media	Master's Degree	$120,003	+$84,257	clears the bar	$73,250	0.9 yrs	63
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$117,252	+$81,506	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	63
Nutrition Sciences	Master's Degree	$79,247	+$43,501	clears the bar	$64,900	1.5 yrs	63
Business Administration	Master's Degree	$251,708	+$215,962	clears the bar	$65,229	0.3 yrs	63
Mechanical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$111,491	+$75,745	clears the bar	$10,057	0.1 yrs	61
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$96,884	+$61,138	clears the bar	$21,636	0.4 yrs	59
Physical and Occupational Therapy	Master's Degree	$84,917	+$49,171	clears the bar	$95,341	1.9 yrs	53
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$91,559 1-year earnings	+$55,813	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	52
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	$56,885	+$21,139	clears the bar	$20,937	1.0 yrs	52
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities	Master's Degree	$87,308 1-year earnings	+$51,562	clears the bar	$90,000	1.7 yrs	51
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$47,702	+$11,956	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	50
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$101,536	+$65,790	clears the bar	$27,000	0.4 yrs	50
Visual and Performing Arts, Other	Master's Degree	$21,409	-$14,337	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	47
Area Studies	Master's Degree	$81,697	+$45,951	clears the bar	$50,000	1.1 yrs	45
Biomedical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$62,895 1-year earnings	+$27,149	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	45
Sustainability Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$85,545	+$49,799	clears the bar	$18,070	0.4 yrs	44
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	Master's Degree	$93,415	+$57,669	clears the bar	$61,500	1.1 yrs	41
History	Master's Degree	$72,306	+$36,560	clears the bar	$66,561	1.8 yrs	40
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$55,472	+$19,726	clears the bar	$19,500	1.0 yrs	39
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$97,522 1-year earnings	+$61,776	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	39
Social Sciences, Other	Bachelor's Degree	$65,085	+$29,339	clears the bar	$25,000	0.9 yrs	38
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$51,435 1-year earnings	+$15,689	clears the bar	$27,000	1.7 yrs	34
Dispute Resolution	Master's Degree	$73,611	+$37,865	clears the bar	$106,851	2.8 yrs	32
Social Sciences, Other	Master's Degree	$87,609	+$51,863	clears the bar	$73,259	1.4 yrs	32
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$220,151	+$184,405	clears the bar	$320,742	1.7 yrs	29
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	$54,327 1-year earnings	+$18,581	clears the bar	$20,250	1.1 yrs	27
Construction Management	Master's Degree	$120,469	+$84,723	clears the bar	$61,500	0.7 yrs	27
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$143,332	+$107,586	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	$34,658 1-year earnings	-$1,088	falls short	$21,065	insufficient data	23
Computer Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$194,365	+$158,619	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Chemical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$55,154 1-year earnings	+$19,408	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Civil Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$108,246	+$72,500	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$32,924 1-year earnings	-$2,822	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$83,493	+$47,747	clears the bar	$32,250	0.7 yrs	16
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences	Master's Degree	$169,415 1-year earnings	+$133,669	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Historic Preservation and Conservation	Master's Degree	$70,565	+$34,819	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$312,330	+$276,584	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Nursing	Doctoral Degree	$164,885	+$129,139	clears the bar	$175,663	1.4 yrs	4
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$99,679	+$63,933	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other	Master's Degree	$80,798	+$45,052	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Management Information Systems	Master's Degree	$184,384	+$148,638	clears the bar	$43,335	0.3 yrs	insufficient data
Operations Research	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	281
Social Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	167
Data Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	150
Economics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	147
Nursing	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	122
Data Analytics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	108
Industrial Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	97
Nursing	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	85
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	83
Political Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	50
Statistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	37
Economics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	36
Human Resources	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	36
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	34
Biomedical Engineering	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	33
Applied Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	33
Sociology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	33
Fine Arts	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	33
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
Counseling Psychology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Business Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Economics	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Neuroscience	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Climate Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Chemistry	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Counseling Psychology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Biotechnology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Neuroscience	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Anthropology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Electrical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Neuroscience	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Materials Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Insurance	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Physics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Political Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Computer Science	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Biomedical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Computer Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Astronomy and Astrophysics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Finance	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
History	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Engineering Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Engineering Physics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Philosophy	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Political Science	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Fine Arts	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Architecture	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Mechanical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
English	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Biology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Urban Studies/Affairs	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Public Relations and Advertising	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($35,746/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.