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Columbia Business School
Talk to ExpertMBA at Columbia University Overview
The Columbia University provides an exceptional MBA program at the PG level, designed to be completed in 2 years.
To gain admission to the program, students must meet the requirements for the course, which include having a valid score on tests like GRE, GMAT and TOEFL. One of the most important things that students have to keep in mind before applying is to know the number of seats available. This is to be done to have an idea about whether to apply early or not.
The Columbia University tuition fee for the first year of the MBA is USD 88,300. Additionally, prospective students should budget for living expenses, which include accommodation (rent or hostel), food, books, and other essential utilities, averaging around USD 18,274.
Duration | 2 years Get Curriculum |
Tuition & Fees | ₹80.90 Lakh Get Fees details |
International Students Admission Website | Go to Website  |
Official Career Service Website | Go to Website |
Course Level | PG Degree |
- Overview
- Fees
- Curriculum
- Entry Requirements
- Application Process
- Rankings
- Placements
- Highlights
- Scholarships
- Class Profile
MBA at Columbia University Fees
Columbia University MBA fee structure includes first-year tuition fee that all the students have to pay. Apart from the tuition fee, the students also have to spend money on stay, food and other utilities, which comprises cost of living, which is USD 18,274. The total expense may vary, depending on the additional charges provided by the Columbia University. The total first-year tuition fees of MBA is USD 88,300.
To know more about Columbia University MBA fee breakup, check out the table below:
1st year tuition fees | Fees components | Amount (for 1 year) |
|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | INR 80,89,692 |
Other expenses in 1st Year | Fees components | Amount (for 1 year) |
|---|---|
| Hostel & Meals | INR 15,67,859 |
| Insurance | INR 4,39,657 |
Calculated at the exchange rate of 1 USD = INR 88.73 | Tuition & expenses were last updated on 30ᵗʰ August 2025MBA at Columbia University Curriculum
Full Time MBA program curriculum consists of 18 credits of required core coursework, and a minimum of 42 credits of elective courses. The core curriculum is designed to give students an in-depth mastery of academic disciplines and the practical tools to intersect business with a broad set of industries. Students generally register for 15 credits per term, full-time residence at the Business School
Full Time MBA program curriculum consists of 18 credits of required core coursework, and a minimum of 42 credits of elective courses. The core curriculum is designed to give students an in-depth mastery of academic disciplines and the practical tools to intersect business with a broad set of industries. Students generally register for 15 credits per term, full-time residence at the Business School is strictly defined as a minimum of 12 credits. Students are permitted to take up to 18 credits per term, and may graduate with more than 60 credits. Columbia offers more than 300 electives to allow students to immerse themselves in specialized topics with faculty members who are at the forefront of innovation in their fields. Some of the most innovative, in-demand electives are Analytics in action, Foundations of CV, Technology strategy, The economics and politics of digital disruption.
https://academics.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/academics/degree-requirements
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MBA at Columbia University Entry Requirements
- No specific cutoff mentioned
- No specific cutoff mentioned
- A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution is required for admission
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Out of 10
- N/A
- Applications from candidates with a three-year undergraduate degree are also accepted
- Those applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis
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Out of 10
- No specific cutoff mentioned
NA
- No specific cutoff mentioned
- No specific cutoff mentioned
NA
- International students are not required to submit a language test such as the TOEFL. Applicants' verbal scores on the GRE or the GMAT are sufficient. Applicants' interviews will also be conducted in English
- Interviews are by invitation only; applicants cannot request an interview. The Admissions Office will contact the applicant if he/she is selected for an interview
- Not mentioned
MBA at Columbia University Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia MBA graduates are paid very well for their contributions, with the average salary figure for Class of 2024 MBA graduates standing at USD 175,000 (INR 1.5 Cr), per data curated from official sources.
12.3% of the MBA graduates were also on the receiving end of additional guaranteed compensation worth USD 225,000 (INR 1.93 Cr).
Conversion rate: 1 USD = INR 86.06
According to the FT rankings published recently in 2025, Columbia Business School ranks #2 among the best b-schools offering an MBA program. CBS is ranked 8th in the world for its MBA programs in the 2025 QS Global MBA rankings, with an overall score of 96.9 out of 100, based on factors like, placement rates, faculty, curriculum etc. Based on the rankings published by US World and News 2024, CBS ranks #12 out of the best 124 B-Schools in the world.
The Columbia University MBA acceptance rate stands at 12% for 2024, per data curated from official sources. The university received around 7,487 applications, out of which, only 972 applications were accepted.
The Columbia University MBA average GMAT score stood at 732, while the Columbia University MBA average GPA, stood at 3.6.
Source: Columbia University Business School
MBA at Columbia University Application Process
- First-time applicants require one recommendation. Reapplicants are required to submit one new recommendation
- The university asks the recommender to consider the following guidelines when writing their recommendation (recommended limit: 1000 words)
- How do the candidate's performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples
- Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response
- Applicants must complete two short-answer questions and three essays:
- Short Answer Question
- What is the applicant's immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)
- Why do applicants prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum)
- Essay 1
- Through the applicant's resume and recommendation, the university has a clear sense of their professional path to date. What are the applicant's career goals over the next three to five years, and what is their long-term dream job? (500 words)
- Essay 2
- Please share a specific example of how applicants made a team more collaborative, more inclusive, or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization. (250 words)
- Essay 3
-
The university believes Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership--academically, culturally, and professionally. How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (250 words)
-
- Short Answer Question
- Applicants should upload their current professional resume or CV to the online application. Applicants' professional resume or CV should ideally be one page in length, but one-to-two pages is also acceptable
- Offical transcripts
- Applicants should report their grade point average as it appears on their transcript
- GMAT or GRE Scores
- Copy of passport
- Proof of English language proficiency (if applicable)
- Columbia offers a monthly payment plan to enable students to pay tuition and fees over several months, rather than in one payment
- The Payment Plan is available for the Fall term, Spring term, the annual academic year plan (Fall & Spring), or Summer term
- $50 annual enrollment fee and $30 enrollment fee per term (Fall, Spring and Summer terms) and $30 returned payment fee if a payment is returned
- Up to 5 Payment plans are available for a fall and Spring term
MBA at Columbia University Rankings
| Rank | Rank Publisher |
|---|---|
| #10 | |
| #2 | |
| #4 |
MBA at Columbia University Placements
| Particulars | Statistics (2025) |
|---|---|
| Internship Available | Yes, MBA students are provided with internship opportunities that helps them in gaining real-world experience (only for Fall term entry) |
MBA at Columbia University Students also asked
Columbia University does not set any minimum eligible scores for international students willing to join the master's programs. However, it is recommended to aim score above 320 on the GRE and over 700 on GMAT for successful admission. In addition, students who scored or performed well academically and were involved in relevant internships may get some sort of relief in standardized test scores. Columbia University is tough to get into for international students, and that is why they must aim to score much higher than the recommended scores.
The UNBC acceptance rate is 70-75%. this shows that the university is moderately selective and you can increase your chances of acceptance by meeting the eligibility requirements and submission of mandatory documents as required for the admission process.
The Columbia University tuition fees for international applicants are based on the programs and the year of study. The tuition cost is quite high for Indians, and ranges between INR 51L and INR 59 L for undergraduate and INR 20L and INR 1.23 Cr for postgraduate. Students must make a separate budget for housing and food, books, and personal expenses, and more. Students can check the table below for the first-year tuition fees of popular programs:
Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
BBA (7 courses) | INR 58 L - 59 L |
B.E. / B.Tech (14 courses) | INR 52 L - 59 L |
B.A. (55 courses) | INR 58 L - 59 L |
M.A. (140 courses) | INR 20 L - 75 L |
MS (74 courses) | INR 28 L - 1 Cr |
MBA/PGDM (19 courses) | INR 45 L - 80 L |
Others PG (28 courses) | INR 28 L - 1 Cr |
B.Sc. (20 courses) | INR 58 L - 59 L |
MBA/PGDM6 (6 courses) | INR 52 L - 84 L |
The minimum GPA required for getting into Columbia Uni is 3.7-4.0. The University prioritizes students who stand out both in academics and other non-academic activities such as community events, social and cultural events, among others.
International students are advised to perform consistently well across different levels of their education to have the best chances of admission.
While both Columbia and Harvard, are part of the best universities in USA, they are also highly selective. The Columbia University acceptance rate is 4.9% for the Class of 2029, while the Harvard University acceptance rate is 3.6%. Thus, it can be said that Harvard is marginally tough to secure admissions at than Columbia, however, there is not much between them.
Columbia UniversityStudents Ratings & Reviews
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MBA at Columbia University Highlights
- This Full-Time MBA Program is designed to be completed as following schedule: August Entry: 20-month program (including summer internships) and January Entry: 16-month program (no summer internship)
- The curriculum consists of 18 credits of required core coursework, and a minimum of 42 credits of elective courses
- Students who exempt out of core courses replace them with electives to fulfill the MBA requirement of 60 credits of graduate-level courses taken in residence at the School in four terms of study
- Students may count a combined maximum of six credits of Independent Study, Cross-Cultural Seminar, and graduate-level courses from other Columbia schools toward the MBA degree
MBA at Columbia University Scholarships
Class Profile
| Average class profile for this course | |
|---|---|
| Work Experience | 5 years |
| Bachelors GPA / Percentage | 3.6 |
| GMAT Score Average | 729 |
| Student Age | 28 |
| Percentage of International Students | 51% |
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