Columbia University ABA 509 Report
The 2025 Standard 509 disclosure for Columbia University, laid out by section: admissions, costs, aid, conditional scholarships, enrolment, bar passage and class composition.
Columbia University's 2025 Standard 509 disclosure reports that 9,463 applicants received 1,120 offers (11.8%), the entering class had a median LSAT of 173, the median grant was $32,000 per year, the first-time bar passage rate was 94.7%.
What this is. Every figure below comes from the school's own Standard 509 filing to the ABA, as published in the public disclosure data. Tables follow the report's own sections rather than a reorganisation by topic, so you can line each number up against the original. Where a school did not report a figure, it saysnot reported — nothing here is filled in with an average or an estimate. How to read these numbers →
New York City, New York · Report year 2025 · all Columbia University data →
Admissions
Applications, offers and enrolment for the entering class, plus the LSAT and GPA percentiles of the students who matriculated.
Source: Standard 509(b)(1)
| Completed applications | 9,463 |
|---|---|
| Offers of admission | 1,120 |
| Acceptance rate | 11.8% |
| Enrollees from the applicant pool | 411 |
| Enrolled in the first-year class | 445 |
| First-year class size | 444 |
| LSAT 25th percentile | 169 |
| LSAT median | 173 |
| LSAT 75th percentile | 175 |
| Undergraduate GPA 25th percentile | 3.85 |
| Undergraduate GPA median | 3.92 |
| Undergraduate GPA 75th percentile | 3.98 |
| Students who submitted LSAT scores | 405 |
| Students who submitted GRE scores | 37 |
How Columbia University compares within New York
Among the 15 law schools in New York that report acceptance rate, Columbia University has the lowest.
The 15 law schools in New York, ordered by acceptance rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Acceptance rate | Median LSAT | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touro University | 45.6% | 153 | 1,462 |
| Pace University | 44.1% | 154 | 2,293 |
| Brooklyn Law School | 44.0% | 161 | 4,600 |
| Buffalo, University at | 42.4% | 157 | 977 |
| Hofstra University | 40.6% | 157 | 2,448 |
| New York Law School | 39.7% | 157 | 4,114 |
| Albany Law School | 37.5% | 158 | 2,638 |
| Syracuse University | 34.6% | 158 | 2,752 |
| Cardozo, Yeshiva University | 29.6% | 165 | 3,833 |
| University of City University of New York | 28.6% | 155 | 2,300 |
| St. John's University | 23.1% | 164 | 4,417 |
| Cornell University | 18.2% | 173 | 4,608 |
| Fordham University | 16.2% | 168 | 8,811 |
| New York University | 13.4% | 172 | 10,546 |
| Columbia University ← this school | 11.8% | 173 | 9,463 |
Tuition, fees and living costs
What the school charges and what it estimates students will spend living.
Source: Standard 509(b)(2)
| Tuition (annual, full-time) | $85,368 |
|---|---|
| Non-resident tuition (annual) | $85,368 |
| Tuition reporting basis | annual |
| Per credit hour | $4,272 |
| Mandatory fees (full-time) | $3,022 |
| Living on campus | $31,554 |
| Living off campus | $31,554 |
| Tuition guarantee | no |
How Columbia University compares within New York
Among the 15 law schools in New York that report annual tuition, Columbia University has the highest.
The 15 law schools in New York, ordered by annual tuition. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Annual tuition | Living off campus |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia University ← this school | $85,368 | $31,554 |
| Cornell University | $84,722 | $32,952 |
| New York University | $83,952 | $36,094 |
| Fordham University | $78,078 | $37,354 |
| Brooklyn Law School | $75,496 | $36,528 |
| St. John's University | $75,170 | $32,728 |
| Cardozo, Yeshiva University | $74,438 | $34,114 |
| Hofstra University | $73,344 | $36,009 |
| New York Law School | $71,052 | $23,759 |
| Syracuse University | $64,650 | $24,472 |
| Albany Law School | $63,994 | $21,844 |
| Touro University | $61,000 | $52,602 |
| Pace University | $56,648 | $33,422 |
| Buffalo, University at | $26,430 | $24,814 |
| University of City University of New York | $15,450 | $30,805 |
Grants and scholarships awarded
The share of students receiving grant aid, the size of those awards, and how they are distributed across the four funding bands.
Source: Standard 509(b)(2)
| Students receiving grant aid | 54.0% |
|---|---|
| Median grant (per year) | $32,000 |
| 25th percentile grant | $20,000 |
| 75th percentile grant | $48,000 |
| Half tuition or less | 36.0% |
| Above half, below full | 13.0% |
| Full tuition | 5.0% |
| Above full tuition | 0.0% |
How Columbia University compares within New York
Among the 15 law schools in New York that report median grant, Columbia University has the 8th highest.
The 15 law schools in New York, ordered by median grant. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Median grant | % receiving aid |
|---|---|---|
| St. John's University | $60,000 | 84.0% |
| Cardozo, Yeshiva University | $40,000 | 98.0% |
| New York Law School | $40,000 | 85.0% |
| Albany Law School | $38,000 | 94.0% |
| Hofstra University | $35,793 | 84.0% |
| Fordham University | $35,000 | 87.0% |
| Brooklyn Law School | $34,000 | 91.0% |
| Columbia University ← this school | $32,000 | 54.0% |
| Cornell University | $30,000 | 91.0% |
| Pace University | $29,000 | 93.0% |
| Syracuse University | $24,351 | 91.0% |
| Touro University | $22,000 | 76.0% |
| New York University | $20,000 | 66.0% |
| University of City University of New York | $8,000 | 17.0% |
| Buffalo, University at | $7,500 | 51.0% |
Enrollment
How many students the school enrolled, and how that breaks down by degree.
Source: Standard 509(b)(4)
| Total students enrolled | 1,740 |
|---|---|
| JD students (all years) | 1,377 |
| First-year JD students | 445 |
| Non-JD students | 363 |
| First-year class size | 444 |
How Columbia University compares within New York
Among the 15 law schools in New York that report jd students, Columbia University has the 2nd highest.
The 15 law schools in New York, ordered by jd students. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | JD students | First-year JD |
|---|---|---|
| New York University | 1,405 | 454 |
| Columbia University ← this school | 1,377 | 445 |
| Fordham University | 1,352 | 444 |
| Brooklyn Law School | 1,126 | 417 |
| New York Law School | 1,107 | 409 |
| Cardozo, Yeshiva University | 946 | 326 |
| Pace University | 873 | 298 |
| Hofstra University | 800 | 264 |
| St. John's University | 758 | 248 |
| Syracuse University | 750 | 370 |
| University of City University of New York | 695 | 220 |
| Albany Law School | 615 | 239 |
| Cornell University | 611 | 217 |
| Touro University | 604 | 222 |
| Buffalo, University at | 430 | 172 |
Bar passage
First-time passage is the share passing on the first attempt; ultimate passage counts retakes over two years.
Source: Standard 509(b)(8)
| First-time takers | 455 |
|---|---|
| First-time passers | 431 |
| First-time passage rate | 94.7% |
| Ultimate passage rate (2023) | 99.3% |
| Ultimate passage rate (2024) | 98.2% |
How Columbia University compares within New York
Among the 15 law schools in New York that report first-time rate, Columbia University has the 2nd highest.
The 15 law schools in New York, ordered by first-time rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | First-time rate | Ultimate rate |
|---|---|---|
| New York University | 96.9% | 98.7% |
| Columbia University ← this school | 94.7% | 98.2% |
| Cornell University | 93.7% | 97.4% |
| Fordham University | 90.8% | 96.4% |
| Buffalo, University at | 88.5% | 94.6% |
| Cardozo, Yeshiva University | 87.8% | 95.1% |
| St. John's University | 87.5% | 93.9% |
| Albany Law School | 86.7% | 83.0% |
| New York Law School | 86.5% | 89.0% |
| Brooklyn Law School | 85.5% | 94.2% |
| Syracuse University | 84.8% | 94.0% |
| Hofstra University | 79.2% | 89.9% |
| University of City University of New York | 69.0% | 79.6% |
| Touro University | 67.9% | 75.2% |
| Pace University | 65.2% | 79.8% |
Entering class composition
Race and gender of the entering class, as reported by the school. Categories follow the school's own reporting.
Source: Standard 509(b)(1)
| Students in the entering class | 444 |
|---|---|
| White | 158 |
| Black | 48 |
| Hispanic | 57 |
| Asian | 128 |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 1 |
| Multiracial | 29 |
| Race not reported | 23 |
| Men | 200 |
| Women | 238 |
| Another gender | 4 |
| Gender not reported | 2 |
Where to go next
- Admissions funnel — applications through to enrolment, with yield rates
- Cost of attendance — three-year totals, and what aid changes
- Financial aid breakdown — the four funding bands in detail
- Bar passage — first-time and ultimate rates
- Employment outcomes — where graduates went
- Scholarship calculator — what your own LSAT and GPA would place you in
Common questions
What does the Columbia University 509 report show?
Columbia University's 2025 Standard 509 disclosure reports that 9,463 applicants received 1,120 offers (11.8%), the entering class had a median LSAT of 173, the median grant was $32,000 per year, the first-time bar passage rate was 94.7%.
How does Columbia University compare with other law schools in New York?
Among the 15 law schools in New York that report acceptance rate, Columbia University has the lowest.
How many applicants did Columbia University receive, and how many were admitted?
Columbia University received 9,463 completed applications and issued 1,120 offers of admission, an acceptance rate of 11.8%.
What is the tuition and grant aid at Columbia University?
For Columbia University, in-state tuition is $85,368 per year, off-campus living costs are estimated at $31,554, the median grant is $32,000 per year, 54% of students receive grant aid.
What is the bar passage rate at Columbia University?
Columbia University had a first-time bar passage rate of 94.7% across 455 takers in the most recent cycle. The two-year ultimate passage rate was 98.2%.