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Columbia University vs Pennsylvania
Columbia University Law School · New York City, NY | University of Pennsylvania Law School · Philadelphia, PA
This pairing is listed because these two schools are both T14 — the circumstances in which one school is a realistic alternative to the other.
Side by side
All figures from the 2025 ABA 509 reporting cycle. Bold marks the stronger figure on each row where a direction exists.
| Measure | Columbia University | Pennsylvania | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 11.84% | 8.05% | +3.8 |
| Median LSAT | 173 | 173 | identical |
| Median GPA | 3.92 | 3.95 | −0 |
| Annual tuition | $85,368 | $78,348 | +7,020 |
| 3-year total cost | $359,832 | $348,396 | +11,436 |
| Median grant / year | $32,000 | $42,246 | −10,246 |
| Net tuition after grant | not reported | not reported | — |
| First-year class size | 444 | 265 | +179 |
| Offer yield | not reported | not reported | — |
| Class fill | 92.6% | 95.8% | −3.3 |
| Bar pass (1st time) | 94.7% | 94.4% | +0.3 |
Bold is not a recommendation. On cost and acceptance it marks the lower number; on grant aid and bar passage the higher one. Where no direction applies — median LSAT, GPA and class size — nothing is bolded, because a higher median LSAT is not obviously better than a lower one for a given applicant.
Where the two differ most
Ranked by the size of the gap relative to Pennsylvania's figure. These are the differences most likely to change a decision.
| Measure | Columbia University | Pennsylvania | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-year class size | 444 | 265 | +179 |
| Acceptance rate | 11.84% | 8.05% | +3.8percentage points |
| Median grant / year | $32,000 | $42,246 | −10,246in dollars |
| Annual tuition | $85,368 | $78,348 | +7,020in dollars |
Cost compared
Both schools report tuition, mandatory fees and living costs, so a full three-year figure can be computed for each. This is the comparison that tuition-only rankings cannot make.
| Component (per year) | Columbia University | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition | $85,368 | $78,348 |
| 3-year total cost | $359,832 | $348,396 |
| Median grant / year | $32,000 | $42,246 |
| Net tuition after median grant | — | — |
Net tuition subtracts the median grant from annual tuition. It is an optimistic floor: the median covers only students who received aid, and it assumes the same award holds for all three years. See the full cost ranking for every school.
Outcomes compared
| Measure | Columbia University | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| First-time bar passage | 94.7% | 94.4% |
| Offer yield | 36.7% | 39.1% |
| Class fill | 92.6% | 95.8% |
| Students enrolled | 411 | 254 |
| First-year class size | 444 | 265 |
The national median offer yield is 31.6%. Offer yield measures how many admitted students chose each school; class fill measures whether the class was filled. A low yield is common and usually reflects a wide offer policy rather than a school students avoid.
Choosing between them
- There is no better school here, only a different one. These figures describe cohort averages. Where your own profile falls relative to a school's admitted range matters more than any published median.
- Cost is a family question, not a ranking. The three-year figure covers tuition, fees and published living costs. It does not include books, a laptop, travel home, or the income lost to three years of not working.
- Grant figures are history, not offers. Both medians describe past cohorts. Your award depends on your circumstances, the school's policy and its aid budget that year.
- Bar passage is heavily shaped by selectivity. A school that admits broadly and passes fewer of its own admittees is not necessarily providing a weaker education; the comparison is confounded by who each school chooses.
Full details on each school
| Columbia University | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions data | All Columbia University admissions data | All Pennsylvania admissions data |
| Admissions funnel | Funnel & yield | Funnel & yield |
| Financial aid | Grants & aid bands | Grants & aid bands |
| Cost | Cost of attendance | Cost of attendance |
Other comparisons
Other Pennsylvania pairings, and other alternatives to Columbia University.
- No further pairings available for these two schools.
Common questions
What is the acceptance rate at Columbia University vs Pennsylvania?
Columbia University admitted 11.84% of applicants while Pennsylvania admitted 8.05%.
Which is cheaper, Columbia University or Pennsylvania?
Over three years, Pennsylvania costs $11,436 less. Columbia University runs $359,832 and Pennsylvania runs $348,396, including tuition, mandatory fees and disclosed living costs.
Which school offers more financial aid, Columbia University or Pennsylvania?
Columbia University reports a median grant of $32,000 per year for full-time students, compared with $42,246 at Pennsylvania. Median figures describe past cohorts and are not aid offers.
Source: ABA Standard 509 Required Disclosures, 2025 reporting cycle, for Columbia University Law School and University of Pennsylvania Law School. Three-year cost totals multiply one year of disclosed tuition, mandatory fees and living costs by three; the 509 does not disclose program length. Figures describe the most recent entering class and past aid cohorts. Not financial advice and not a recommendation of either school.