Columbia University
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#5 in MBA/PGDM in USA

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  • Institute IconColumbia Business School
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MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Overview

Duration

2 years
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Tuition & Fees

80.84 Lakh
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Official Career Service Website

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Course Level

PG Degree

MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Fees

icon1st year tuition fees
Fees componentsAmount (for 1 year)
Tuition & feesINR 80,84,221
iconOther expenses in 1st Year
Fees componentsAmount (for 1 year)
Hostel & MealsINR 15,66,799
InsuranceINR 4,39,360
Info IconCalculated at the exchange rate of 1 USD = INR 88.67 | Tuition & expenses were last updated on 30ᵗʰ August 2025

MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Curriculum

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MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Entry Requirements

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MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
 
Frequently Asked Questions

Q:   Can I get financial aid to do an MBA in Columbia Business School?
A: 

Yes, Columbia Business School provides scholarships. In fact, the CBS is well renowned for the having one of the largest scholarship funds. There is no need to apply for the scholarships separately, it is integrated in the CBS application process. Below mentioned are the scholarships provided to MBA students:

Scholarship Type

Criteria

Benefits

Merit-Based Scholarships

Academic achievements, professional accomplishments, leadership potential

                 Tuition Coverage of 20% to 100%

Need-Based Scholarships

Demonstrated financial need

Comprehensive financial support: tuition, fees, living expenses

Diversity Scholarships

Support for underrepresented minorities, women, LGBTQ+, veterans

Enhance diversity in student body

International Scholarships

Outstanding candidates from outside the US

Partial to full tuition, visa fees, relocation costs

Q:   Does Columbia Business School have a 1 year MBA?
A: 

Columbia Business School offers programs across diverse areas such as MBA, MBA Dual degree, EMBA, MS, Undergraduate etc. Unlike most B-Schools in the US, Columbia offers an accelerated MBA which can be completed in 16 months.

The entire students experience stays the same; the curriculum, the faculty, and same highly selective standards. The only difference is that these accelerated MBA students can only join in January (Spring), and these students don't have to do a Summer Internship, while the August entry students have to engage in Summer internships. This accelerated MBA is for those who do not wish to change their industry, entrepreneurs, and the students in family businesses.

Q:   Is Columbia Business School the best Business School for MBA?
A: 

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. 

 

Q:   What is the average salary earned by Columbia University MBA graduates?
A: 

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

Q:   What is the highest package offered to MBA graduates of Columbia Business School?
A: 

According to the employment report (2024) published by CBS, the the highest package after doing an MBA from Columbia Business School was offered in Consulting industry, which was a whopping average median salary of USD 190,000 (INR 1.60 Cr), followed by Healthcare industry which had an average median salary of USD 170,000 (INR 1.43 Cr).

Here is the table showing the top Industries where Columbia Business School MBA graduates were hired:

Columbia Business School  MBA Graduates' Top Industries (Class 2023)

Average Median Salary of a CBS MBA graduate 

Consulting

USD 190,000 (INR 1.60 Cr)

Technology

Not given

Financial Services

USD 175,000 (INR 1.47 Cr)

Real Estate

USD 145,000 (INR 1.22 Cr)

Entertainment & Media

USD 130,000 (INR 1.09 Cr)

Consumer Products

USD 120,000 (INR 1.01 Cr)

Health Care 

USD 170,000 (INR 1.43 Cr)

 (USD 1 = INR 86.81)

MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Application Process

Step one
Prepare documents for application
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LOR
  • 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
ESSAYS
  • 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)

CV
  • 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

MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Rankings

MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Placements

ParticularsStatistics (2025)
Internship AvailableYes,

MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
 
Students also asked

Q:   What is the fees of Columbia University in Indian Rupees?
A: 

Buckle up if you're an Indian student, as UG courses at Columbia Uni cost somewhere in the range of INR 51 L-INR 59 L. If you're interested in an Master's, then you can expect to pay somewhere in the range of INR 21 L-INR 1.23 Cr.

Q:   Is Columbia a good research university?
A: 

It is among a select group of R1 institutions in the US, which are known for their very high research activity.

The university's scientists are known for conducting hundreds of innovative tasks in Health sciences each year. Also a number of his medicines have also reached the market, with some notable ones including: Xalatan, Remixade, Reopro, Benefix, Latanoprost & Zolinza

Q:   Which is harder to get into Harvard or Columbia?
A: 

As an Indian student, it's not easy to get into either. Your chances of admission at admission stand at 4.94% at Columbia. If you think this is low, Harvard accepted its Class of 2028 at a rate of 3.6%. This means Harvard asks you to put in that extra effort.

Q:   What GPA do I need to get into Columbia?
A: 

As an Indian student, 3.0 is generally considered the bare minimum if you want to study at Columbia Uni. For Engineering, a minimum 3.3 in your past academics is needed. Make sure to maintain a good profile non-academically as well. 

Q:   Is Columbia better than Harvard?
A: 

Not if you go by their overall university rankings. While both rank in and around the top 10 universities in the country, Harvard (#2) ranks well ahead of Columbia (#10), in national level rankings, given by Shiksha. 

Though Harvard offers more course options, and overall brand recognition, Columbia is considered by many as the better of the two for its Engineering courses, something Harvard is not known for.

Columbia University
Students Ratings & Reviews

3.8/5
Verified Icon2 Verified ReviewsInfo Icon
Student Views (Based on Reviews)
  • 67% students never faced discrimination in this university
Vibe of Campus
Academically oriented
Multi-dimensional
Friendly
Liberal
Internships3.5
Part time work3.5
Post study jobs4
Quality of faculty5
Student Life3.5
Value for money2.5
Public transportation5
Safety4
Indian Food3.5
Permanent Immigration3.5
N
Nithishma Allu Verified Icon
MS in Computer Science - Batch of 2024
4.6
Columbia University: Fostering Brilliance and Innovation
Tips: Networking is the key. Make as many connections as possible. New York is an amazing place to be and make the most of it. There is a Shardarshish scholarship which waves 50% tuition fees and also numerous graduate research assistant roles available if interested.
Likes (Quality of faculty): The diversity of faculty is amazing with most of them graduating from the top universities. Their knowledge on the subject is remarkable and they challenge you to be better and work harder. They let you engage in projects and conduct many office hours for discussions
Dislikes (Internships): The coursework and the brand value added because of Columbia University is great which lands you in a good internship but there are comparatively fewer career fairs than other universities. The career advisors are super helpful in guiding and suggesting changes to resumes and cover letters.
Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 1500
Prepping time for classes30 hours/Week
Expected Annual SalaryUSD 150000
Reviewed on 11 Feb 2024Read more
Thumbs Up Icon(1) Thumbs Down Icon1 person found this helpful
A
Anonymous
MS in Data Science - Batch of 2026
3.6
Columbia is an expensive school, and the competition is very fierce.
Tips: Be mentally prepared before coming, the scholarships are rare, you need to be best at what you do. The competition is fierce, and things are not so dreamy anymore in the USA. But if you are good at it, you can make it. I am satisfied, hopefully I will get a job, and it will be easier for me.
Likes (Quality of faculty): Mostly, the faculty are adjunct faculty, giving a more practical experience. The faculty is diverse and well-rounded, and the way things are done here is different from in India. They are more concerned with practicality than with theoretical knowledge, so you need to study and prepare on your own.
Dislikes (Value for money): Columbia is an expensive school, and the competition is very fierce. Off-campus jobs don't pay well compared to the living costs. There are better private schools that offer scholarships you can attend. Brand value still matters in today's world, though.
Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 2300
Prepping time for classes27 hours/Week
Expected Annual SalaryUSD 87000
Reviewed on 1 May 2025Read more
Thumbs Up IconThumbs Down Icon
A
AnonymousVerified Icon
Computer Science Master's Degree - Vision, Graphics, Interaction and Robotics - Batch of 2026
3
Ivy League Tag does not work anymore.
Tips: No overwhelming cultural shift that I have experienced as of now. I didn't get any scholarship, they pay you nothing, no on campus jobs and even if you get any, you'll be paid peanuts. You basically take a crore rupees loan, study and work like a machine and still end up with no internship call, no certainty about jobs.
Likes (Quality of faculty): Excellent faculty, coursework, teaching and most importantly research. But don't expect to get paid for your research. They won't pay you. They'll ask you to take it for credit. All professors are great researchers and top in their domain but not all are good teachers.
Dislikes (Value for money): It's very expensive with zero or very few on campus jobs paying you peanuts. No proper career fair for internships. Uncertainty of jobs, constantly changing government regulations, disregarding all the effort and money we put to study here. Disregard for your skill and knowledge.
Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 2125
Prepping time for classes50 hours/Week
Expected Annual SalaryUSD 80575
Reviewed on 28 Sep 2025Read more
Thumbs Up IconThumbs Down Icon
View All 3 ReviewsRight Arrow Icon

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
Read more

MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Scholarships

Class Icon
Class Profile

Average class profile for this course
Work Experience5 years
Bachelors GPA / Percentage3.6
GMAT Score Average729
Student Age28
Percentage of International Students51%

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About the author

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Tasneem Hoda

Study Abroad Expert

Tasneem Hoda is a Content Creator and Writer working for Shiksha.com. Her role includes developing and maintaining web pages for international universities at the Shiksha Study Abroad Portal, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and alignment with instit...Read Full Bio

MBA
 at 
Columbia University 

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MBA
 at 
Columbia University 
Contact Information

Address

116th and Broadway, New York, NY 10027, United States

New York

Phone
212-854-4400

(For general query)

212-854-2522

(For admission query)

Email
registrar@columbia.edu

(For general query)

ugrad-ask@columbia.edu

(For admission query)

Go to College Website ->