Home / School cost
The real 4-year cost of Columbia University in the City of New York
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Columbia University in the City of New York went from $39,326 to $76,445, an average of 3.4% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $76,445Tuition frozen for 2026-27 ($36,400/term); required fees carried forward.source
Read with care: this school's history shows a tuition drop or reset, so a smooth projection may not hold.
2008–2030: history and projection
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $76,445 |
| Year 2 | $79,033 |
| Year 3 | $81,709 |
| Year 4 | $84,476 |
| 4-year total | $321,664 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $281,664
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $168,500
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Columbia University in the City of New York