Columbia University in the City of New York SAT Scores, GPA, and ACT (2026)
By the Cheetah Prep team · Reviewed July 14, 2026
SAT middle 50 percent
1510 to 1580
Half of enrolled students at Columbia University in the City of New York scored in this range on the SAT. One quarter scored above 1580, and one quarter below 1510.
- Average composite
- 1553
- Acceptance rate
- 4.0%
- ACT range
- 34 to 35
- Test policy
- Test optional
- Location
- New York, NY
- Undergraduates
- 8,973
Columbia University in the City of New York SAT Scores and Admissions
Start with the math on admission: about 4 out of every 100 applicants get into Columbia, an acceptance rate of 4.0%. That number frames every conversation about Columbia University in the City of New York SAT scores. Scale it up and the picture sharpens. For every seat in the class, roughly 25 people applied and 24 heard no. The middle 50 of admitted students runs from 1510 to 1580, with an average of 1553. Put differently, a quarter of the class scored above 1580, which is nearly the ceiling of the test, and even the 25th percentile admit posted 1510, a score most colleges would treat as elite.
This is a private nonprofit university with an undergraduate enrollment of 8,973, small for an institution that draws applicants from everywhere, and its location in New York, NY adds to the pull. The section splits tell you where the pressure sits: Reading and Writing runs 740 to 780, while Math runs 770 to 800. That Math range means the top quarter of admits posted a perfect 800. Columbia is test optional in the most recent federal data, using 2024-2025 numbers. In practice the policy changes your strategy more than it lowers the bar. The students who submit are submitting scores near the top of the scale, so a score below the range is usually better left out, while a score inside it becomes a real asset in a pool this crowded.
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Columbia University in the City of New York SAT Score Breakdown by Section
Here is the section by section SAT profile of enrolled students at Columbia University in the City of New York, from the federal College Scorecard.
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 740 | 780 |
| Math | 770 | 800 |
| CompositeTotal SAT | 1510 | 1580 |
The College Board reports section percentiles, not section averages, so an average is shown for the composite only.
Where this sits on the 400 to 1600 scale
1510 to 1580
Columbia University in the City of New York Admissions Calculator: What Are Your Chances?
Enter your SAT score and unweighted GPA for an honest read on your chances of getting into Columbia University in the City of New York, measured against real enrolled student data instead of a made up percentage.
No SAT score yet? Take the diagnostic and get a real number in about 25 minutes.
How this calculator works: your SAT is compared with Columbia University in the City of New York's reported middle 50 percent range from the federal College Scorecard, your GPA is compared with the range admitted students at similarly selective schools typically present, and both are weighed against the school's real acceptance rate. We do not print a made up percent chance. No calculator can see your essays, your course rigor, or your recommendations, and at selective schools those decide close calls. Treat this as an honest read of your academic position, not a prediction.
Chances of Getting Into Columbia University in the City of New York by SAT Score
Here is what specific scores mean at Columbia University in the City of New York, based on its reported 1510 to 1580 middle 50 percent range. Find the row closest to your score, or use the calculator above for a read on your exact numbers. No made up percentages: each verdict is your real position in the enrolled class.
| SAT score | Where it lands | The honest read |
|---|---|---|
| 1360 | Well below the 25th percentile | A 1360 is well below the 1510 to 1580 range at Columbia University in the City of New York. On testing alone this score does not keep the application in contention, so raising it is the priority. |
| 1460 | Just below the 25th percentile | A 1460 falls just short of Columbia University in the City of New York's 25th percentile of 1510. Some students get in below the range, but they usually bring something exceptional elsewhere in the application. |
| 1550 | Inside the middle 50 percent | A 1550 sits inside the 1510 to 1580 range, matching the profile of enrolled students. At this acceptance rate the score keeps you in the pool; the rest of the application decides. |
| 1580 | At the 75th percentile | A 1580 matches the 75th percentile at Columbia University in the City of New York, stronger than about 3 out of 4 enrolled students. Testing is a clear strength at this level. |
| 1600 | Above the 75th percentile | A 1600 beats the 75th percentile at Columbia University in the City of New York. The score is doing all it can; nothing more is gained by retaking. |
How to Raise Your SAT Score to Columbia University in the City of New York's Range
The two targets that matter here are 1510, the score that puts you inside the admitted range, and 1580, the score that puts you in the top quarter. Here is the size of the jump from common starting points, with the step by step plan for each one.
| Starting score | To reach 1510 | To reach 1580 | The plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | +510 points | +580 points | All score plans |
| 1100 | +410 points | +480 points | All score plans |
| 1200 | +310 points | +380 points | All score plans |
| 1300 | +210 points | +280 points | 1300 to 1600 plan |
| 1400 | +110 points | +180 points | 1400 to 1600 plan |
| 1500 | +10 points | +80 points | 1500 to 1600 plan |
Not sure where you stand today? The diagnostic gives you a real starting score and a section breakdown in one sitting, so the gap you plan around is your actual gap.
What SAT Score Do You Need for Columbia University in the City of New York?
Read the middle 50 as three zones. Below 1510, you are in the bottom quarter of admitted students, and at a 4.0% admit rate that is a hard place to stand without something exceptional elsewhere in the application. Inside 1510 to 1580, your score matches the typical admit and stops being a question. Above 1580, you outscore 3 out of 4 students who got in, though at Columbia even that guarantees nothing, because thousands of applicants with scores in this range are still turned away every cycle.
The sections are not symmetric. Math sets the higher bar: 770 to 800 against 740 to 780 for Reading and Writing. A 760 in Math sits below the 25th percentile here, while the same 760 in Reading and Writing sits comfortably inside the range. That 30 point gap between the sections is the most useful detail on this page. If you have to choose where to spend prep hours, the Math section is where Columbia admits separate themselves, and where a weak number is hardest to hide.
Columbia University in the City of New York GPA Requirements
Admitted students at Columbia typically present an unweighted GPA around 3.9 to 4.0. That band follows from a 4.0% acceptance rate: when 96 out of 100 applicants are turned away, transcripts with more than a stray B become rare in the admitted pool. There is no official average to quote, but the arithmetic of that much rejection points one direction. Expect the students you are competing against to have close to straight As.
The number alone is not the whole story. Grades earned in rigorous courses count as much as the GPA itself, so an A in a demanding class outweighs an A in an easy one, and a transcript that gets harder each year reads better than one that coasts. If your GPA sits at the lower edge of that band, a strong SAT is the fastest offset available. Grades take years to move, and by the time you apply, most of your transcript is already written. A score can move in months, and a result near the 1553 average gives a reader a concrete reason to keep going.
Typical admitted GPA
Admitted students at Columbia University in the City of New York typically present a GPA in the 3.9 to 4.0 range on an unweighted 4.0 scale. Nearly every admitted student carries an almost unbroken A record in the hardest courses their high school offers.
If your GPA sits at or below this range, a strong SAT score is the fastest way to stay competitive, since grades are hard to move late in high school. See where your SAT score really stands and build the plan around the gap.
These are unweighted grades on a 4.0 scale. A school that weights GPA or reports a different scale will show a higher number.
Columbia University in the City of New York SAT Testing Policy
Columbia University in the City of New York considered scores without requiring them (test optional) in the most recent federal data. Testing policies change year to year, so confirm the current 2026-2027policy on the school's admissions site before you decide whether to submit scores.
Should you submit your score?
Submit your score when it is at or above 1545, the middle of Columbia University in the City of New York's range. If you are below 1510, the 25th percentile, consider holding your score and letting your grades, essays, and activities carry the application.
Last verified July 14, 2026
Should You Submit Your SAT Score to Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York was test optional in the most recent federal data, which turns your score into a strategic choice. The folk theory that applying without scores signals weakness is overstated, but the math of what helps is simple: a score that lands inside or above the admitted range works for you, and a score well below it does not.
1550+
Submit
At or above the middle of the admitted range, submitting clearly helps. A real data point beats an open question.
1510 to 1550
Lean submit
Inside the range, most counselors say send it: you are within the profile of enrolled students, and holding it back leaves the reader guessing.
Below 1510
Usually hold it
Below the 25th percentile the score rarely helps at Columbia University in the City of New York. Apply without it, or better, close the gap first. Scores can still matter for merit scholarships elsewhere on your list.
Policy as reported for the 2024-2025 cycle. We verified it against Columbia University in the City of New York's own site, where any mid cycle change would appear first.
Columbia University in the City of New York ACT Scores: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
The middle 50 percent of enrolled students at Columbia University in the City of New York scored between 34 and 35 on the ACT, alongside the 1510 to 1580 SAT range. Like nearly every US college, Columbia University in the City of New York states no preference between the two tests. The right move is to take whichever test converts higher for you, using the official concordance below, and send that one.
| ACT composite | SAT equivalent |
|---|---|
| 35 | 1530 to 1560 |
| 34 | 1490 to 1520 |
| 33 | 1450 to 1480 |
SAT equivalents from the official College Board and ACT concordance tables. Highlighted rows fall inside Columbia University in the City of New York's ACT middle 50 percent.
How to Get Into Columbia University in the City of New York
Set two targets. Hitting 1510 or above, the 25th percentile, keeps you inside the range Columbia actually admits from. Hitting 1580 or above, the 75th percentile, puts you in the top quarter of the class, which is where you want to be when only 4.0% of applicants get through. Section by section, that means pushing Math toward the 770 to 800 band and Reading and Writing to at least 740. The test optional policy sets a floor for the decision: if your final score lands under 1510, you can withhold it, but a submitted score inside the range does work that the rest of the application cannot.
Work backward from those numbers instead of guessing. Take a diagnostic to find your current scoring level and see exactly how far you are from 1510. Then pick from the score plans that match the gap you need to close. Your next step: sit for a full timed practice test this week and write down your Math and Reading and Writing scores next to Columbia's ranges.
How Hard Is It to Get Into Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York admits about 40 of every 1,000 applicants, and enrolls an undergraduate class of about 8,973. That ratio, not any single cutoff, is what makes the admitted profile look the way it does: when a school turns away 960 of every 1,000 people who apply, the students who get in cluster at the top of every measurable scale.
For perspective against the country as a whole: Columbia University in the City of New York's 25th percentile score of 1510 already beats roughly 98% of all SAT takers nationally, and its 75th percentile of 1580 sits around the 99th percentile. A score that feels middling on this page is an excellent score almost anywhere else, which is worth remembering when you build the rest of your list.
Colleges Similar to Columbia University in the City of New York: Reach, Match, and Safety Options
Real reported ranges from schools students often consider alongside Columbia University in the City of New York, ordered by acceptance rate. Odds are compared on acceptance rate first, because a school with a lower SAT average can still be far harder to get into.
| School | SAT middle 50 percent | Acceptance rate | Odds vs Columbia University in the City of New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University in the City of New York | 1510 to 1580 | 4.0% | This page |
| Chicago | 1510 to 1580 | 4.5% | Similar oddssimilar SAT range |
| Johns Hopkins | 1520 to 1570 | 6.4% | Better odds than Columbia University in the City of New Yorksimilar SAT range |
| Cornell | 1500 to 1570 | 8.8% | Better odds than Columbia University in the City of New Yorksimilar SAT range |
| NYU | 1480 to 1560 | 9.2% | Better odds than Columbia University in the City of New YorkSAT about 25 lower |
| Binghamton | 1340 to 1500 | 38.6% | Better odds than Columbia University in the City of New YorkSAT about 125 lower |
| Stony Brook | 1330 to 1500 | 49.0% | Better odds than Columbia University in the City of New YorkSAT about 130 lower |
How Recent Are These Columbia University in the City of New York SAT Scores?
Every score, rate, and enrollment figure on this page comes from the US Department of Education College Scorecard, 2024-2025 release, the same federal dataset colleges report into. Testing policy reflects the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. This page was last reviewed July 14, 2026.
Score ranges quoted around the web for Columbia University in the City of New York disagree with each other more than you would expect, usually because a site is quoting an older class or an unlabeled estimate. We publish the reported number, label the vintage, and update when the source updates. We also cross checked Columbia University in the City of New York's own admissions site, where any change would appear first.
Columbia University in the City of New York SAT Scores and GPA: Frequently Asked Questions
What SAT score do you need to get into Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York's middle 50 percent SAT range is 1510 to 1580. Aim for at least 1510 to be competitive, and 1580 or higher to be a strong applicant. There is no hard cutoff, but a score in or above this range keeps your application in contention.
Is a 1510 a good SAT score for Columbia University in the City of New York?
A 1510 sits at Columbia University in the City of New York's 25th percentile, the lower edge of its middle 50 percent range of 1510 to 1580. It keeps you in range, but a score closer to 1580 makes your application stronger.
What is the average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York?
The average composite SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York is 1553. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored between 1510 and 1580.
Does Columbia University in the City of New York require SAT scores?
No. Columbia University in the City of New York was test optional in the most recent federal data, so you can apply without SAT scores. Confirm the current 2026-2027 policy on the school's admissions site before you decide whether to submit.
Is Columbia University in the City of New York test optional for 2026-2027?
Columbia University in the City of New York was test optional in the most recent federal data, meaning you could apply without scores. Policies change year to year, so verify the 2026-2027 policy on the school's admissions site.
What ACT score do you need for Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York's middle 50 percent ACT range is 34 to 35. Aim for at least 34 to be competitive and 35 or higher to be a strong applicant. A strong ACT can stand in for the SAT at Columbia University in the City of New York.
What GPA do you need to get into Columbia University in the City of New York?
Admitted students at Columbia University in the City of New York typically present an unweighted GPA in the 3.9 to 4.0 range on the 4.0 scale, based on schools with a comparable acceptance rate. Grades earned in rigorous courses matter as much as the number itself, and a strong SAT score is the fastest way to offset a GPA at the lower edge of that range.
What is Columbia University in the City of New York's acceptance rate?
Columbia University in the City of New York admits about 4.0% of applicants, which makes it extremely selective. A strong SAT score helps your application stand out in a pool this competitive.
What are my chances of getting into Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York admits about 4.0% of applicants, so your chances depend on where you sit against the admitted pool. The middle 50 percent of enrolled students scored 1510 to 1580 on the SAT and admitted students typically carry an unweighted GPA around 3.9 to 4.0. A score above 1580 puts you in the strongest quarter of the class on testing. Use the admissions calculator on this page to check your own SAT and GPA against Columbia University in the City of New York's real numbers.
How can I raise my SAT score for Columbia University in the City of New York?
Focus your prep on the section costing you the most points, then follow a study plan built for your target score range. Cheetah Prep has step by step score plans for specific point jumps and unlimited practice questions with worked solutions.
Does Columbia University in the City of New York superscore the SAT?
Superscore policies vary by school and change year to year, and Columbia University in the City of New York does not report this in the federal data. Check the school's admissions site for its current superscore policy, which tells you whether it combines your best section scores across test dates.
About this page: written and reviewed by the Cheetah Prep team. Last reviewed July 14, 2026.
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