Quad

Head-to-head

Columbia
U. St Thomas

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    U. St Thomas graduates 28 pts more of its students than Columbia (64% vs. 35%)

    Graduation rate
  2. 2

    U. St Thomas grads earn $13.8K more ten years out than Columbia's ($59,224 vs. $45,378)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  3. 3

    Columbia has 11 pts more first-gen students than U. St Thomas (49% vs. 38%)

    First-generation students
  4. 4

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

    Aid generosity
  5. 5

    Columbia has 1.5× as many undergrads as U. St Thomas

    Undergrads
  6. 6

    Columbia has 3 pts more Pell recipients than U. St Thomas (45% vs. 42%)

    Pell Grant recipients

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

U. St Thomas admits 90%; Columbia doesn't report an acceptance rate.

Acceptance rate
ColumbiaNot reported
U. St Thomas90%
Quad's selectivity
  • ColumbiaNot rated
  • U. St ThomasOpen
SAT middle 50%Axis 900–1600
ColumbiaNot reported
U. St Thomas
980–1210
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • ColumbiaNot reported
  • U. St ThomasGPA and school record required

Who's on each campus

Columbia has 1.5× as many undergrads as U. St Thomas and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Columbia5K
U. St Thomas3.2K
Pell Grant share
Columbia45%
U. St Thomas42%

Majors and faculty

General Studies leads at Columbia, and Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse at U. St Thomas; U. St Thomas has 16 students per faculty member to Columbia's 20.

Students per faculty member
Columbia20 to 1
U. St Thomas16 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • ColumbiaGeneral Studies18%
  • U. St ThomasRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse47%

What each costs

Columbia costs about $1.2K less a year than U. St Thomas on average; U. St Thomas's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Columbia$24.5K
U. St Thomas$25.8K
Aid generosity
Columbia37%
U. St Thomas47%

What each pays off

U. St Thomas's former students earn more, a median $59.2K ten years after enrolling; six-year graduation runs from 64% at U. St Thomas to 35% at Columbia.

Median earnings, 10 years
Columbia$45.4K
U. St Thomas$59.2K
Graduation rate
Columbia35%
U. St Thomas64%

How each has changed

Applications grew at U. St Thomas, which got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • ColumbiaNot reported
  • U. St ThomasGrowing+262%
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 2018About 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