Quad

Head-to-head

Columbia
Aurora

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Aurora graduates 32 pts more of its students than Columbia (67% vs. 35%)

    Graduation rate
  2. 2

    Aurora grads earn $13.3K more ten years out than Columbia's ($58,709 vs. $45,378)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  3. 3

    Aurora's grants cover 47% of its full price on average, vs. 37% at Columbia

    Aid generosity
  4. 4

    Columbia is a bit larger (4,950 vs. 3,974)

    Undergrads
  5. 5

    Columbia has 3 pts more first-gen students than Aurora (49% vs. 46%)

    First-generation students
  6. 6

    Aurora is more diverse (index 0.66 vs. 0.65)

    Diversity index

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Aurora admits 82%; Columbia doesn't report an acceptance rate.

Acceptance rate
ColumbiaNot reported
Aurora82%
Quad's selectivity
  • ColumbiaNot rated
  • AuroraOpen
SAT middle 50%Axis 800–1600
ColumbiaNot reported
Aurora
875–1078
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • ColumbiaNot reported
  • AuroraRigor and GPA very important33%

Who's on each campus

Columbia is a bit larger than Aurora (4,950 vs. 3,974 undergrads); both have the same Pell share, 45%.

Undergrads
Columbia5K
Aurora4K
Pell Grant share
Columbia45%
Aurora45%

Majors and faculty

General Studies leads at Columbia, and Social Work at Aurora; Aurora has 18 students per faculty member to Columbia's 20.

Students per faculty member
Columbia20 to 1
Aurora18 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • ColumbiaGeneral Studies18%
  • AuroraSocial Work13%

What each costs

Columbia and Aurora cost about the same a year on average; Aurora's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Columbia$24.5K
Aurora$24.5K
Aid generosity
Columbia37%
Aurora47%

What each pays off

Aurora's former students earn more, a median $58.7K ten years after enrolling; six-year graduation runs from 67% at Aurora to 35% at Columbia.

Median earnings, 10 years
Columbia$45.4K
Aurora$58.7K
Graduation rate
Columbia35%
Aurora67%

How each has changed

Applications grew at Aurora, whose selectivity held steady.

Applications, 10-year change
  • ColumbiaNot reported
  • AuroraGrowing+132%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;Aurora University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;Aurora University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why