Lori Meadows
Columbia University is a prestigious institution with a rich history, having been founded in 1754. It has a reputation for producing high-achieving graduates, including five Founding Fathers of the United States, three US presidents, and numerous prominent figures in the arts, literature, and film industries. With a diverse student body, Columbia welcomes individuals from all 50 states and over 90 countries, fostering an environment that embraces varying racial, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds. The student population, comprising both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, is known for its open-mindedness and strong political activism, with a predominantly liberal lean. Columbia's financial aid policies are commendable, enabling students from underprivileged backgrounds to pursue their academic goals without incurring debt. The university's ranking in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges further underscores its excellence, placing it 13th among National Universities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Student Population (2020) | 31,455 |
| Undergraduate Students (2020) | 8,842 |
| Postgraduate Students (2020) | 22,613 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment (Fall 2022) | 8,902 |
| Campus Size | 36 acres |
| Students Identifying as Persons of Color | 52% |
| Students Identifying as Minority | 45% |
| Students with Family Income Below $60,000 | 26% |
| Students Receiving Federal Pell Grants | 16% |
| First-Generation College Students | 17% |
| Overall Acceptance Rate (Class of 2025) | 3.66% |
| Average Grant Size | $46,516 |
| Annual Undergraduate Tuition (2015-2016) | $50,526 |
| Total Cost of Attendance (2015-2016) | $65,860 |
| Student Diversity | High |
| Student Mindset | Open-minded |
| Political Leanings | Liberal |
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What You'll Learn
Student demographics
Students who attend Columbia University come from diverse backgrounds, with the university accepting students from all 50 states and over 90 countries. The student population in 2020 was 31,455, with 8,842 students in undergraduate programs and 22,613 in postgraduate programs. The undergraduate enrollment in Fall 2022 was 8,902. The campus size is 36 acres.
Columbia University is known for its racial, religious, and socio-economic diversity. Approximately 52% of all students identify as persons of color, and the university has a significant Jewish and Asian population. The university also has a strong LGBT community, although the conservative side is also represented. Students at Columbia come from a mix of socio-economic backgrounds, with 26% of students having family incomes below $60,000 and 16% receiving Federal Pell Grants, which are typically given to students with family incomes below $40,000.
Columbia University is also known for its generous financial aid policies, which allow students from underprivileged backgrounds to attend without accumulating debt. The university is committed to promoting socio-economic diversity and ensuring that money is not a barrier to attendance. In 2015-2016, the annual undergraduate tuition at Columbia was $50,526, with a total cost of attendance, including room and board, of $65,860. However, 50% of all undergraduates received grants from Columbia, with an average grant size of $46,516.
The students at Columbia are described as high-achieving and motivated to succeed in various fields, including entrepreneurship and economics. They are also politically active, with most students identifying as liberal. The university has a rich history, having graduated five Founding Fathers of the United States, an author of the United States Constitution, and three United States presidents.
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Academic and financial statistics
Students who attend Columbia University are commonly referred to as Columbians. Here are some academic and financial statistics about the university and its students:
Academic Statistics
In 2020, Columbia University's student population was 31,455, comprising 8,842 undergraduate and 22,613 postgraduate students. The university received 60,551 applications for the class of 2025, with an overall acceptance rate of 3.66%, making it highly selective. The student body is racially diverse, with approximately 52% identifying as persons of colour, and the university also attracts students from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. 26% of students have family incomes below $60,000, and 17% are the first in their family to attend a four-year college. Columbia has a strong tradition of academic excellence, with notable alumni including five Founding Fathers of the United States, three US presidents, ten Justices of the Supreme Court, and numerous renowned artists, writers, and filmmakers.
Financial Statistics
Columbia University offers financial aid to its students, with 50% of undergraduates receiving grants. The average grant size is $46,516. In the 2015-2016 academic year, the annual undergraduate tuition was $50,526, with a total cost of attendance, including room and board, of $65,860. The university also guarantees on-campus housing for all four years of undergraduate study. Additionally, 16% of students receive Federal Pell Grants, which are primarily awarded to those with family incomes below $40,000.
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Notable alumni
Columbia University has a long list of notable alumni across various fields, including politics, literature, journalism, business, science, and entertainment. Here are some of the most prominent individuals who have attended or graduated from Columbia University:
Politics and Government:
Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States and the first African-American to hold the office, graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor's degree. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, also attended Columbia. Additionally, Prince Amedeo of Belgium, the eldest grandson of King Albert II, obtained an MBA from Columbia.
Literature and Journalism:
The university has produced several renowned writers, including Pulitzer Prize-winning author Herman Wouk, poet and writer Allen Ginsberg, and authors Isaac Asimov, J.D. Salinger, Upton Sinclair, Ursula K. Le Guin, Aravind Adiga, and Hunter S. Thompson. In journalism, notable alumni include R.W. Apple of the New York Times, A'Lelia Bundles, Greg Burke of the Vatican's Secretariat of State, and nine-time Emmy Award winner Diann Burns.
Business and Finance:
Prominent business leaders who attended Columbia include billionaire investor Warren Buffett, Ursula Burns (the first African-American woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Xerox), and Leonard Blavatnik, the Russian-American founder of Access Industries.
Science and Technology:
In the field of science, Columbia University has notable alumni such as computer scientist Saul Amarel, artificial intelligence pioneer Virginia Apgar (who created the Apgar score for newborn health evaluation), and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Entertainment:
Columbia University has also made its mark in the entertainment industry, with Academy Award-winning actor Casey Affleck, actor Max Minghella, and Indian actress Sara Ali Khan Pataudi as its alumni.
The university has a rich history and has produced numerous notable alumni who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. This list represents only a fraction of the accomplished individuals who have passed through Columbia's halls.
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Traditions and culture
Columbia University, founded in 1754 as King's College, has a rich history and a multitude of traditions that have shaped its identity over the years. The university's traditions and practices have evolved with its growth and expansion, with many traditions associated with its oldest undergraduate division, Columbia College.
One of the most notable traditions at Columbia is the Varsity Show, an annual full-length musical written by and for students. The show dates back to 1894 and often satirizes various aspects of life at Columbia, including admissions, the Core Curriculum, and the university's history. Notable writers and directors of the Varsity Show include Columbians Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, and Herman Wouk. The Columbia University fight song, "Roar, Lion, Roar", also originated from the 1923 Varsity Show.
The New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) at Columbia College is filled with traditions aimed at inaugurating new freshmen into the community. During NSOP, students participate in the First Year March, where they officially enter the campus through the main gates while being serenaded by staff and administrators. They also attend their first Literature Humanities lecture on the Iliad and are gifted a copy of either the Iliad or the Odyssey by the Columbia College Alumni Association.
Columbia University has several traditions centred around celebrations and commemorations. During Native American Heritage Month in November, the university organises programming to celebrate and raise awareness about Native American and Indigenous issues, history, and cultural contributions. The university also observes Indigenous Peoples Day in October and hosts an annual Powwow in the spring. Other annual celebrations include Asian Pacific American History Month, Black History Month, and Holi, also known as the Festival of Colours.
Academic traditions at Columbia University include the adoption of the Core Curriculum in 1919, which ensures that all undergraduates receive a comprehensive exposure to essential fields of knowledge. Literature Humanities and Art Humanities, two Core classes, take students on a journey through literary masterpieces and visual arts, respectively. Class Day ceremonies in May celebrate the accomplishments of graduating students, while Commencement is the university-wide event celebrating graduates from all schools.
Other unique traditions at Columbia University include the annual Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest hosted by the Philolexian Society, the lighting of the Yule Log during the holiday season, and the end-of-year celebration Manifest, which showcases the work of graduating students. The university also has a history of student activism, with notable protests taking place as early as the lead-up to the American Revolution and in the late 20th century.
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History
Columbia University is a private institution founded in 1754. The university's main campus is primarily located between Amsterdam Avenue, Broadway, 114th Street, and 120th Street. The campus size is 36 acres, and in 2020, the student population was 31,455, with 8,842 students in undergraduate programs and 22,613 in postgraduate programs. Columbia University is known for its racial and ethnic diversity, with approximately 52% of students identifying as persons of colour and students from all 50 states and over 90 countries. The university has a generous financial aid policy, allowing students from underprivileged backgrounds to attend without accumulating debt. On-campus housing is guaranteed for all four years of undergraduate study.
Columbia University has a rich history of academic excellence and has produced many notable alumni. The university has graduated five Founding Fathers of the United States, an author of the United States Constitution, and a member of the Committee of Five. Three United States presidents and ten Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, including three Chief Justices, have also attended Columbia. The university is known for its strong presence in the arts, with alumni including composers Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Lorenz Hart, and Art Garfunkel, as well as painter Georgia O'Keeffe. Five United States Poet Laureates received their degrees from Columbia, including pioneers of the Beat Generation, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, and seminal figures in the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.
Columbia University's literary alumni also include renowned authors such as Isaac Asimov, J.D. Salinger, Upton Sinclair, Ursula K. Le Guin, Danielle Valore Evans, and Hunter S. Thompson. In architecture, the university has produced alumni like William Lee Stoddart, a prolific architect of U.S. East Coast hotels. Columbia's impact extends to the film industry, with 33 alumni winning a combined total of 43 Academy Awards as of 2011.
The university also has several unique traditions, including the lighting of the Yule Log during the Christmas season. This tradition dates back to the period before the American Revolutionary War but was revived by President Nicholas Murray Butler in 1910. During the ceremony, a troop of students dressed as Continental Army soldiers carry the log from the sundial to the lounge of John Jay Hall, where it is lit alongside the singing of carols and the reading of classic Christmas texts.
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Frequently asked questions
Students who attend Columbia University are called "Columbians".
Columbia students are described as high-achieving and are expected to be successful in every way in life. The student body is extremely diverse and open-minded about race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. The student community is also very politically active, with most students identifying as liberal.
Columbia University prides itself on being the most diverse Ivy League school. The university's financial aid policies enable students from underprivileged backgrounds to attend without accumulating debt, promoting socio-economic diversity. Columbia usually has an incoming class with students from all 50 states and over 90 countries, bringing unique talents and attributes to the student body.
Columbia students are passionate about learning and highly motivated to excel in their respective fields. They are also known for their strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, with many focusing on entrepreneurship and economics.
Columbia University students embrace their diversity and are open to engaging with peers from various backgrounds. They are known for their ability to learn from one another and see the world from different perspectives. The university fosters an inclusive environment where individuals from all walks of life can find their place and connect with like-minded individuals.
