Columbia University vs Harvard University

This page compares Columbia University and Harvard University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 221 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 221 applicants admitted to both schools, 95% chose to attend Harvard University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #6 and #10, separated by just 4 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

Columbia University is located in New York City, New York, while Harvard University is in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: Columbia University places 65.4% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 51.4% for the other school. This 14 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Harvard University has lower tuition at $77,100 per year compared to $85,368. Combined with employment rates of 95.6% (CLS) and 90.7% (HLS), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Columbia University offered a median scholarship of $115,000 compared to $101,500, a difference of $13,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.