The student-faculty ratio at Columbia University is 6:1, and the school has 82.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Columbia University include: Social Sciences; Engineering; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; and Psychology. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 99 percent.
Faculty & classes
Faculty
Total faculty
1,560 full time
213 part time
Minority
28% full time
23% part time
Full-time faculty with Ph.D or terminal degree
100%
Classes taught by graduate assistants
-
Full-time faculty gender distribution
Part-time faculty gender distribution
Class Size
Class sizes
Classes with fewer than 20 students82.1%
50 or more9.2%
20-498.7%
Requirements
General education/core curriculum required
Yes
Coursework required for graduation
Humanities
Mathematics
English (including composition)
Philosophy
Foreign languages
Sciences (biological or physical)
History
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Graduation & retention
Freshmen Retention
Average first-year student retention rate
99%
International Student Retention
International student retention rate
99%
Graduation Rates
6-year graduation rate of students who received a Pell grant
93%
6-year graduation rate of students who received a subsidized Stafford loan
99%
6-year graduation rate of students who did not receive a Pell grant or subsidized Stafford loan
97%
6-year graduation rate of international students
97%
Degrees Awarded (July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018)
Post-bachelor's certificates
-
Post-master's certificates
-
Doctoral degrees - research/scholarship
-
Doctoral degrees - professional practice
-
Doctoral degrees - other
-
2017-2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
Employed as entrepreneur
0.2%
Employed in temporary/contract work
0.4%
Postgraduate internship/fellowship
0.4%
Graduates reporting salaries
22%
Graduates reporting bonuses
10%
2017-2018 Graduates Employed Part-time
Employed as entrepreneur
-
Employed in temporary/contract work
0.1%
Postgraduate internship/fellowship
0.1%
Graduates reporting salaries
1%
Graduates reporting bonuses
0%
2017-2018 Graduates Other
Enrolled in a volunteer service program
0.2%
Enlisted in the military
0.3%
Enrolled in continuing education
9.6%
Attended a graduate education program
0%
Attended a graduate engineering program
1.6%
Attended medical school
1%
Attended a graduate nursing program
0%
Graduate schools most often attended by recent graduates
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Harvard University
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Seeking continuing education
0.9%
Not seeking employment
0.8%
No information provided by graduate
32.9%
Prominent Alumni
School's most prominent alumni
Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, Michael Massimino, NASA Astronaut, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Actress
Majors
General Information
Declare major deadline
end of second year
Credits apply to multiple majors
sometimes
Five Most Popular Majors
Five most popular majors for 2018 graduates
Social Sciences 22%
Engineering 16%
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services 10%
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 6%
Psychology 6%
Alumni Starting Salaries by Major
Architecture and Related Services
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Business Administration, Management and Operations$53,700
Engineering
Computer Engineering (CE)$93,200
Chemical Engineering$86,000
Biomedical Engineering$81,700
Electrical Engineering (EE)$79,500
Mechanical Engineering (ME)$74,200
Civil Engineering$69,300
Environmental Engineering$64,200
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English Language and Literature/Letters
English Language and Literature$58,800
Rhetoric and English Composition$53,000
Health Professions and Related Programs
Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematics$85,600
Applied Mathematics$82,100
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Social Sciences
Economics$72,800
Political Science and Government$61,500
Anthropology$59,800
Sociology$54,900
Urban Studies$46,200
Visual and Performing Arts
Fine and Studio Arts$60,200
Film, Video and Photographic Arts$47,000
Majors Offered at This School
Architecture and Related Services
Architectural History and Criticism
Architectural History and Criticism, General
Architecture
Architecture
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
African Studies
African-American/Black Studies
American/United States Studies/Civilization
Asian Studies/Civilization
Asian-American Studies
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Biophysics
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
Environmental Biology
Evolutionary Biology
Neuroscience
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Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Business Administration and Management, General
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Computer Science
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Education
Education
Education, General
Engineering
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
Engineering Technology, General
English Language and Literature/Letters
Creative Writing
English Language and Literature, General
English Language and Literature, General
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Comparative Literature
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
French Language and Literature
German Language and Literature
History
History
History, General
History, Other
Mathematics and Statistics
Applied Mathematics, General
Mathematics
Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematics, Other
Statistics, General
Statistics, Other
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Ancient Studies/Civilization
Biological and Physical Sciences
Classical and Ancient Studies
Mathematics and Computer Science
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Nutrition Sciences
Sustainability Studies
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Natural Resources and Conservation
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Jewish/Judaic Studies
Philosophy
Philosophy
Religion/Religious Studies
Physical Sciences
Astronomy
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other
Astrophysics
Chemical Physics
Chemistry
Psychology
Psychology
Psychology, General
Social Sciences
Anthropology
Archeology
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
Economics
Political Science and Government, General
Visual and Performing Arts
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Dance, General
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
Film/Cinema/Video Studies
Jazz/Jazz Studies
Music, General
Visual and Performing Arts
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Minors
Architecture and Related Services
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
East Asian Studies
French Studies
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies
Mathematics and Statistics
Applied Mathematics
Statistics
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
French Language and Literature
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
Latin Language and Literature
Visual and Performing Arts
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Dance
Music
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
Engineering
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering, Other
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Engineering Mechanics
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Philosophy
Religion/Religious Studies
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Social Sciences
Anthropology
Economics
Political Science and Government
Sociology
English Language and Literature/Letters
English Language and Literature, General
Academic programs
Academic Programs
Degrees offered
Certificate, Bachelor's, Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's, Doctorate - professional practice, Doctorate - other, Doctorate - research/scholarship
Student participation in special study options
Exchange student program (domestic)
Teacher certificate program
Independent study
Accelerated program
Cross-registration
Student participation in special academic programs
Learning communities
Undergraduate research/creative projects
Writing in the disciplines
Senior capstone or culminating academic experience
Service learning
First-year experiences
Qualified undergraduate students may take graduate-level classes
Yes
Pre-professional programs
Pre-law, pre-dentistry, pre-medicine, pre-theology, pre-veterinary science, pre-optometry, pre-pharmacy
Cooperative education programs
-
Teacher certification is offered in
Early childhood, elementary, middle/junior high, secondary
Subject areas offering education certification
-
Counseling services offered
academic
birth control
career
minority student
military
older student
personal
psychological
religious
veteran student
international students
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Honors college 2018 enrollment
-
Honors program 2018 enrollment
-
Online bachelor's degree program offered
-
Percentage of bachelor's degree programs that are available online
-
Individual online courses offered for bachelor's degree credit
-
Domestic Study Away
Semester/term-away programs
Sea Semester
Student exchange programs offered with
Percent of 2018 graduates participating in domestic student exchange programs
-
Study Abroad
Countries where study abroad opportunities are available
Argentina
Australia
Bhutan
Brazil
Chile
China
Costa Rica
Cuba
Czech Republic
Denmark
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2018 graduates participating in study abroad programs
-
Veterans
Institution is G.I. Bill certified
Yes
Institution participates in Yellow Ribbon Program
Yes
