Engineering at Columbia University
In 2023, 302 of the 2,433 students who finished a bachelor's degree at Columbia University did so in engineering: 12.4% of the class and the third most common major on campus. Across all 2,440 reporting institutions the field accounts for 5.94% of bachelor's degrees; at Columbia University it is 2.1x that, far more concentrated. 44% of those graduates were women.
Is engineering competitive at Columbia University?
Colleges report one admission rate for the whole school; here is the bar you are actually measured against, and how the model treats this major.
Columbia University admitted 2,439 of 57,613 applicants for fall 2023 (4%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1510 to 1580 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for engineering at Columbia University. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Engineering" as more competitive than Columbia University's overall rate (multiplier 0.92 on the effective admit rate), so an applicant declaring this field is scored against a slightly higher bar.
How to apply to Columbia University for engineering
What readers look for from applicants who declare this field, at any selectivity.
- Physics and calculus, ideally both at the highest level offered
- Evidence of making things: robotics, engineering clubs, a build you can describe
- A clear reason for engineering in the essay, not just strong STEM grades
- Run your odds with the major set: your estimate at Columbia University for engineering →
Field guide: how admissions works for this major across schools.
Where else to study engineering
Other colleges in New York and at a similar selectivity that award bachelor's degrees in this field.
Every college ranked by engineering graduates: colleges that graduate the most engineering majors → · Engineering colleges in New York →
More majors at Columbia University
The other fields Columbia University graduates the most students in, 2023.
Questions about engineering at Columbia University
How many students major in engineering at Columbia University?
302 students earned a bachelor's degree in engineering at Columbia University in 2023, 12.4% of that year's 2,433 graduates (IPEDS completions, first majors).
Is engineering competitive at Columbia University?
Columbia University admitted 2,439 of 57,613 applicants for fall 2023 (4%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1510 to 1580 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for engineering at Columbia University. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Engineering" as more competitive than Columbia University's overall rate (multiplier 0.92 on the effective admit rate), so an applicant declaring this field is scored against a slightly higher bar.
What is the acceptance rate for engineering at Columbia University?
There is no official major-level acceptance rate; Columbia University reports one school-wide figure, 4%. Some programs (direct-admit nursing, engineering and business schools) select separately and can be more selective than the school overall. CollegeCalcAI's calculator applies its published per-major adjustment and shows your estimate for this school with the major set.
Is Columbia University known for engineering?
By output, engineering is the third most common field at Columbia University and far more concentrated there than at the average U.S. college (12.4% of graduates versus 5.94% nationally).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series). Admissions counts: IPEDS 2023. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.