The University of Chicago is a highly regarded private university found in Chicago, Illinois in the Chicago metropolitan area. It is a medium-sized college with 6,801 undergraduate students. Admissions are extremely competitive, with the acceptance rate at the University of Chicago being around 5%. Some of the majors offered are Economics, Political Science, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Biological Sciences. The six-year graduation rate is 95%, and University of Chicago alumni have a median starting salary of around INR 1,04,76,000 (after ten years of graduation, based on $126,500 median earnings).
Columbia University is a well-known private New York City, New York metropolitan area-based university. It is a mid-sized university with an undergraduate student body of 8,148 students. Admissions are highly competitive, with Columbia acceptance rate being approximately 4%. Social Sciences, Economics, Political Science, Engineering, and Biological Sciences are common majors. Six-year graduation rate is 96%, and graduates of Columbia University still receive a median starting salary of around INR 1,15,62,000 (equivalent to $139,500 median earnings ten years after graduation).
| University of Chicago | The University of British Columbia | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 8.4 Out of 10 | 6.7 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 13 QS World University 2026 # 10 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 14 Times Higher Education 2025 | # 40 QS World University 2026 # 38 QS World University 2025 # 41 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 132 for Engineering by QS World University 2025 # 28 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 34 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 | # 31 for Engineering by QS World University 2025 # 23 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 38 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -36 PG Programs -31 Doctorate Programs -9 | UG Programs -79 PG Programs -101 Doctorate Programs -3 |
| Acceptance Rate | 5.0 % | 54.0 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-570 IELTS-7 SAT-1080 TOEFL-80 | GMAT-550 IELTS-6.5 PTE-65 TOEFL-90 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 56034 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 72000 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 29000 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 46295 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 9500 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 29650 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | University of Chicago is one of the top private universities in Chicago, United States. It is ranked #10 in QS World University Rankings 2023. Top recruiters include McKinsey & Company Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Google LLC, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Accenture, Deloitte Consulting LLP etc
| Top recruiters at UBC were Deloitte, P&G, Labatt, Netsle, Telus, GE Healthcare, etc. Base salaries offered were around $160,000 for Executive MBA,$91,000 for Master in Finance, $80,000 for MBA,$68,000 for Other Degrees,$67,000 for Master Of Science,$68,000 for Master Of Arts |
| application requirements | Transcripts, English proficiency scores, Supplemental essays, teacher evaluation, GMAT/ GRE scores, Supplemental material (art work, research papers, etc.) | Core subject requirements like Maths, Science, Language. |
| Campuses and B-Schools | University of Chicago Booth School of Business | Sauder School of Business The University of British Columbia, Okanagan |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.6/10 Read 5 reviews | 7.1/10 Read 106 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 9 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 17 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 29 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 49 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 135/160IELTS - 7/9PTE - 70/90TOEFL - 104/120 | GMAT - 550/800GRE - 330/340IELTS - 7.0/9PTE - 65/90TOEFL - 100/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Sep 16, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Dec 4, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Jan 6, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Mar 26, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Date For 2026 Intake) Mar 26, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Apr 2, 2026 (Round 3 Decision Date For 2026 Intake) | Mar 11, 2025 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2025 Intake) Mar 25, 2025 (Supporting Documents Submission Deadline For 2025 Intake) Apr 25, 2025 (Admission Decision for Round 3 2025 Intake) Jun 30, 2025 (Official Documents Submission Deadline For 2025 Intake) Sep 3, 2025 (Early Bird Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) Oct 15, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) Dec 6, 2025 (Admission Decision for Round 1 2026 Intake) Jan 15, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) Mar 7, 2026 (Admission Decision for Round 2 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Chicago | The University of British Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1890 | 1908 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 11:1 |
| Male:Female | 48% Male, 52% Female | 46% Male, 54% Female |
| Location Facts | A 217 acres campus located in Chicago's Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhood eight miles of downtown Chicago. | Two campuses: Vancouver and Okanagan; Vancouver is the main campus located at the western tip of Point Grey Peninsula. |
| Library | UChicago Library System is the 10th largest academic library in North America comprising 6 libraries. Contains a total of 11.9 million volumes, 65,330 ft. of archives and manuscripts and 245 TB of digital archives. | More than 7 million printed books, over 2.1 million ebooks, 5.3 million microforms, and 923000 other multimedia materials. |
| Campus Life | Famous campus attractions include UChicago's Metallurgical Laboratory, University of Chicago Press (largest university press in USA), Cobb Lecture Hall, Rockefeller Chapel, Gerald Ratner Athletics Center. UChicago also has over 400 Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs). | The campus has Astronomy Club, Beads and Craft Club, Chinese Students and Scholars Association (Great Wall Club), Food Society, Photographic Society, Red Cross International, Ski and Board Club and Vancouver Student Entrepreneurship Association. |
| Hostel | #Housing and Food(4 Quarters) - $29000 | #Shared Room - $4855 #Connected Single Room - $5712 #Single Room - $6133 #One Bedroom Apartment - $6452 |
| Famous Alumni | University boasts of about 182,000 alumni. 100 Nobel laureates, 4 Turning Award winners, 54 Rhodes Scholars, 26 Marshall Scholars, 9 Field Medalists, 52 MacArthur Fellows, 25 Pulitzer Prize winners, 20 National Humanities Medalists, 16 Billionaire graduates. Edwin Hubble (American astronomer), Bernie Sanders (US Senator), Milton Friedman (American economist), Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft), Larry Ellison (Founder of Oracle Corporation) | Justin Trudeau (PM of Canada), Rick Hansen (Paralympic athlete), Kim Campbell (Former PM of Canada), Evangeline Lilly (Actress), William Gibson (Fiction writer), and Albert Bandura (Psychologist). |
| City Life | Chicago is the 3rd most populous city, 3rd largest gross metropolitan product and 2nd largest central business district in USA. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Home to several Fortune 500 companies (such as Boeing, McDonald's, Walgreens, Kraft Heinz, etc.). Famous landmarks include Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, Navy Pier, etc. | Vancouver itself serves 7.5% of Canada’s economy. Due to its prosperity, the freshers get good opportunities across Vancouver. The GDP is around 137 billion CAD. Some of the highly popular industries located in Vancouver are tourism, technology, housing and construction. |
| Weather |
University of Chicago vs Columbia University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Both Columbia University and the University of Chicago are among the elite universities globally, but Columbia tends to be ranked a notch higher in overall global league tables. Columbia ranks #38 in QS and 18th in Times Higher Education, while Chicago ranks #13 in QS and 14th in Times Higher Education. By discipline, Columbia is superior in Arts & Humanities, Business, Law, and Social Sciences, whereas Chicago is globally acclaimed for Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Mathematics, and Law. Both universities possess highly regarded graduate programs, but Chicago is especially dominant in economics and business studies, while Columbia is strong in professional schools and international studies.
General Information
The Columbia University, established in 1754, is based in New York City and has approximately 33,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools. Its urban location and historic Ivy League heritage add to the global visibility.The University of Chicago, established in 1890, is in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago and has a student population of around 17,000. It focuses on a challenging liberal arts education and extremely selective graduate studies, especially in economics, law, and the social sciences.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Both institutions are very competitive, with admission rates usually falling within 4-5%. Columbia has a wide variety of undergraduate and professional programs, such as law, business, journalism, and medicine. Chicago is greatly renowned for undergraduate liberal arts and graduate programs in economics, business, law, and social sciences.
Research Impact & Facilities
Columbia University has wide-ranging research facilities, with many professional schools, research institutes, and the Butler Library system, allowing for depth in humanities, social sciences, medicine, and natural sciences.
The University of Chicago is equally well-resourced, with good focus on economic, social science, and scientific research bolstered by facilities like the Regenstein Library and research centers such as the Chicago Booth School of Business.
Cost & Financial Aid
Both are expensive private universities. Columbia is slightly more costly in general, but both offer generous need-based financial aid, including for international students. Chicago's smaller size might create a more intimate campus environment, while Columbia's urban location offers access to abundant professional opportunities.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Columbia graduates are high-achievers anywhere in the world, particularly in business, law, journalism, public policy, and academia. The alumni network of Columbia is large, especially in New York City and overseas markets.
University of Chicago graduates also attain high levels of success, particularly in economics, law, business, and academia, with emphasis on analytical capabilities and research. The alumni network of Chicago is highly influential globally in academia and finance.
