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By the Numbers

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$1.2 billion a year in wages for thousands of New Yorkers
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$737 million in funded research last year; more than 3,300 inventions over the last decade
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$6.3 billion investment in new Manhattanville campus
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145 new companies built around Columbia technology
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$578 million paid to minority, women and local contractors
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More than $150 million in local benefits and amenities

Providing Middle-Income Jobs

Columbia University is one of the top ten largest nongovernmental employers in New York State.

In addition to 4,000 faculty members, Columbia employs more than 16,600 people full-time; two-thirds live in New York City and nearly half are people of color.

The University paid nearly $1.2 billion in wages and salaries to New York City residents in 2016.

Two-thirds of the jobs at Columbia are middle-income, non-faculty jobs for New Yorkers.

Over the past five years, the Manhattanville Campus expansion generated an average of more than 1,500 local construction jobs per year.

Columbia will directly employ an estimated 2,500 people over the next ten years on its new Manhattanville Campus. More will be employed in ongoing construction and as employees of commercial spaces.

When the new campus is fully built out in 2034, the University will directly employ an estimated 6,400 people earning $600 million. 

The 1 subway train crossing in front of the Jerome L. Greene Science Center building.
Two hands working on a microchip with a soldering iron hand tool.
A brunette female research scientist looking through a microscope.

    

Driving New York City’s Innovation Economy

    

Columbia's funded research exceeded $737 million in 2016.

More than 140,000 Columbia alumni — of 326,000 globally — live and work in the New York tri-state region.

More than 145 new companies built around Columbia technology.

More than 3,300 inventions have emerged from the University’s research labs over the past decade.

More than 750 U.S. patents have been awarded to Columbia.

Columbia Startup Lab Logo

More than 700 licenses and options have been granted to industry or startups based on Columbia technology.

The 5,100 square foot Columbia Startup Lab co-working space is currently home to more than 70 entrepreneurs.

Investing in our Local Community

Columbia is committed to providing meaningful economic opportunity in West Harlem. 

Lenfest Center for the Arts and Jerome L. Greene Science Center Buildings, Photos by Frank Oudeman
$6.3 Billion in New Campus Construction Provides Local Jobs and Economic Opportunity

Columbia’s new $6.3 billion Manhattanville Campus in West Harlem provides local jobs, economic opportunity, open public spaces and public programming.

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$578 Million Paid to Minority-, Women-, and Locally-owned Businesses

Over the past 5 years Columbia has paid minority-, women-, and locally-owned (MWL) businesses more than $578 million for construction projects on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses. In Manhattanville alone that’s 34% of Columbia’s overall construction spend and 50% of all workforce hours.

West Harlem Piers Park
$150 Million in New Benefits and Amenities

As part of its Manhattanville campus development, Columbia has joined with the West Harlem Development Corporation and Empire State Development in agreements that commit $150 million in new benefits and amenities to the local West Harlem community.

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Expert Support for Harlem Small Businesses

More than 1,800 local, small businesses have created or saved nearly 1,500 jobs – worth more than $20 million to the economy — through the Columbia University-Harlem Small Business Development Center partnership at Columbia Business School.

Meet Some of Columbia's People

   Read full stories on the men and women who make the University thrive.