Recognizing that attending Columbia Business School is a significant investment of time and money, we strive to provide our students with various means to finance the degree.
The budget provided on the bottom of this page is based on a moderate student lifestyle. Tuition is set by the University's Board of Trustees and is ratified in June of each year. Please note: the MSAFA Program requires three terms of full time registration to graduate. Students who attend fall/spring/summer will be charged three semesters of tuition at the same rate. Students who attend fall/spring/fall will be charged the following year's tuition rate in the second fall enrollment.
Two Semester Student Budget 2023-24
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition* | $54,144 |
| Mandatory Fees | $2,613 |
| Health Insurance | $4,541 |
| Books & Supplies | $320 |
| Food & Housing | $24,822 |
| Personal Expenses | $6,246 |
| Total First Year Budget | $92,686* |
* Students may incur additional costs, such as student club events. Note that tuition and fees generally increase 2-7% in the second year.
Given the rigor of the full-time MSAFA program, employment during the academic terms is discouraged, particularly in the first year. Teaching and research assistantships are offered directly through faculty members, although these appointments are generally awarded to doctoral students. More information about on-campus work opportunities can be found here.
Learn more about costs on the Financial Aid website →
Columbia Business School offers a limited number of partial-tuition fellowships to exceptional students based on a variety of criteria, including academic excellence, personal background and professional experience. There is no separate application for these fellowships; the School identifies those MS applicants who demonstrate outstanding potential. To be considered for fellowships, prospective students must complete their applications for admission to one of Columbia Business School’s MS Programs by the deadline and indicate that they would like to be considered for fellowships. If you are awarded a fellowship, you will receive a status change email from the Admissions office with information about your award and whether or not it is renewable depending on the length of your program. Only August-entry MS students are considered for merit-based fellowships in the first year.
Federal or private loans may be available to qualified candidates. The MBA loans page lists detailed information about obtaining loans, much of which is applicable to Master of Science candidates.
Student loans are available to both domestic and international students enrolled in the MS programs. Students can reference the loan section of the financial aid website for information on available loan options.