Colby College vs Columbia University in the City of New York

Waterville, ME · New York, NY · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair ME:NY

PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • CROSS-STATE ME × NY
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-RACE · single · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Both enrollments grew, different paces

ENROLL-RACE · single · 2013–2023

Undergraduate headcount rose at both Colby College and Columbia University in the City of New York across 2013–2023 on similar paces, while acceptance rates tightened on both sides, a growth-under-squeeze pattern rather than a pure size race.

  • Colby College: enrollment grew +25.4% over 2013–2023; fitted +54 students/yr fitted, r² 0.93.
  • Columbia University in the City of New York: enrollment grew +11.7% over 2013–2023; fitted +92 students/yr fitted, r² 0.74.
  • Colby College: acceptance rate tightened -73.8% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.92).
  • Columbia University in the City of New York: acceptance rate tightened -43.0% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.79).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Colby College vs Columbia University in the City of New York

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Columbia University in the City of New York leads on acceptance rate (4.0% vs 7.1% at Colby College)
  2. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Columbia University in the City of New York leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($88,535 vs $60,052 at Colby College)
  3. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(1 Columbia University in the City of New York leads on median earnings (10 yr) ($102,491 vs $80,490 at Colby College)

Colby College profile · Columbia University in the City of New York profile · Compare other colleges

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between Colby College and Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York leads on acceptance rate at 4.0% versus 7.1% at Colby College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between Colby College and Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $88,535 versus $60,052 at Colby College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (10 yr), who leads between Colby College and Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York leads on median earnings (10 yr) at $102,491 versus $80,490 at Colby College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025