PlainCollege

University of Pennsylvania vs Columbia University in the City of New York

Philadelphia, PA · New York, NY · largest Scorecard gap: median debt at graduation

Scorecard match plate

Pair PA:NY

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

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • CROSS-STATE PA × NY
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-PAR Earnings near-par
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-DEBT Largest gap · Median Debt at Graduation

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-1SIDE · modest · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Only one enrollment path is a trend

ENROLL-1SIDE · modest · 2013–2023

Size changed directionally at one school over 2013–2023; the peer's series stays a range. Both acceptance rates still tightened, so the shared frame is selectivity, not enrollment.

  • Columbia University in the City of New York: enrollment grew +11.7% over 2013–2023; fitted +92 students/yr fitted, r² 0.74.
  • University of Pennsylvania: enrollment ranged 10,507–10,774 (2013–2023, 11 points) without a stable fitted direction.
  • University of Pennsylvania: acceptance rate tightened -52.0% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
  • 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 · 1 tied metrics omitted. Teal = better side.

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

  1. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA University of Pennsylvania leads on median debt at graduation ($15,715 vs $21,500 at Columbia University in the City of New York)
  2. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Columbia University in the City of New York leads on acceptance rate (4.0% vs 5.4% at University of Pennsylvania)
  3. AVG-NET-PRICE Columbia University in the City of New York leads on avg net price ($21,590 vs $28,699 at University of Pennsylvania)

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

Median Debt at Graduation and other Scorecard questions

On median debt at graduation, who leads between University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University in the City of New York?▼
University of Pennsylvania leads on median debt at graduation at $15,715 versus $21,500 at Columbia University in the City of New York. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On acceptance rate, who leads between University of Pennsylvania 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 5.4% at University of Pennsylvania. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On avg net price, who leads between University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University in the City of New York?▼
Columbia University in the City of New York leads on avg net price at $21,590 versus $28,699 at University of Pennsylvania. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

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