Net Price Calculator | Columbia Financial Aid and Educational Financing

Net Price Calculator

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Please read our instructions and then Start the Calculator

This calculator is a tool that can help you determine the financial aid for which you may qualify. This tool provides estimates using the financial aid policies of Columbia College and Columbia Engineering only.

Keep in mind the following:

Columbia awards only need based aid. There are no merit-based or athletic awards.
The student and parent contributions estimated here are only as reliable as the data you enter.
The student and parent contributions may vary among colleges according to their own institutional policies and professional judgments.
The Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing is the final authority on your exact contribution. This estimate should provide an approximation of your expected contribution.
Special circumstances are treated on a case by case basis. This information should be communicated in writing directly to our office at the time of your application.

Limitations: This tool will help you to gain an understanding of what your family contribution will be, but please understand that this is an estimate. It is only as accurate as the information you provide. The simpler your financial situation, the more accurate this estimate is likely to be. Many families have complex financial circumstances which require a detailed review in order to award accurate need-based eligibility. A calculator cannot factor in all of your unique personal circumstances. Please refer to the FAQs listed on this page to learn more about the circumstances that could impact the accuracy of your results for either calculator.

Related FAQs

How do I use the calculator if my parents are divorced or separated?

Please input separate calculations with each parent’s information. The combination of the two results will be the total expected parent contribution. If either parent has remarried, your stepparent's information should also be provided. The calculated parental contribution will be based on both incomes; however, Columbia’s final calculation applies a proportional methodology to remarried parents.

Can families who live outside of the United States use the Net Price Calculator Tool?

Our Net Price Calculator has been designed for families living in the US; therefore this calculator will not be able to provide an accurate estimate for students living abroad.

Is the tool accurate for parents who are self-employed or own some/all of a business, corporation and/or partnership?

Please input your best estimates on the calculator, according to your percentage of ownership; we will refer to the most recently completed tax documentation at the time of application (Federal 1040 Schedule C and/or Schedule E; Federal 1120 or 1120-S Corporate Tax Returns; 1165 Partnership Tax Returns; K-1s) to confirm actual business income and value.

How does the Net Price Calculator make allowances for families with more than one student in college?

If your family will have more than one student enrolled in college (for the year in which you will enroll), our calculator assumes that the additional student will be enrolled in a four-year private undergraduate college/university. For siblings enrolled in other types of undergraduate institutions (four-year public, two-year/community college, etc.), Columbia will adjust the Parent Contribution accordingly. Columbia does not include graduate sibling's expenses in our need-based evaluation.