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How people got into master's at Columbia University

Jacob · Updated November 2026

What 36 people did before they enrolled in Columbia University for a master's: where they worked, what they studied, which role they came in through, and how long it took.

36
people in our data got there
7%
had a graduate degree first (of those listing one)
4
typical years since first job

How Columbia University compares

Share with a PhD before arriving, across degree programs
USC · Master's: 5% (19 people listing education)USC · Master's5%Columbia University · Master's: 3% (29 people listing education)Columbia University · Master's3% ← this pageStanford University · Master's: <1% (15 people listing education)Stanford University · Master's<1%NYU · Master's: <1% (23 people listing education)NYU · Master's<1%

Among people who list their education; places with at least 10 such people.

Show as a table
People listing educationShare
USC · Master's195%
Columbia University · Master's (this page)293%
Stanford University · Master's15<1%
NYU · Master's23<1%
Typical years since first job on arrival, across degree programs
Columbia University · Master's: 4 yrsColumbia University · Master's4 yrs ← this pageUSC · Master's: 3 yrsUSC · Master's3 yrsNYU · Master's: 3 yrsNYU · Master's3 yrsStanford University · Master's: 3 yrsStanford University · Master's3 yrsUC Berkeley · Bachelor's: 2 yrsUC Berkeley · Bachelor's2 yrs
Show as a table
Median years
Columbia University · Master's (this page)4 yrs
USC · Master's3 yrs
NYU · Master's3 yrs
Stanford University · Master's3 yrs
UC Berkeley · Bachelor's2 yrs

What they studied before

Field of their previous degree
Not listed: 50% (18 people)Not listed50%Computing: 44% (16 people)Computing44%Other: 6% (2 people)Other6%
Show as a table
PeopleShare
Not listed1850%
Computing1644%
Other26%

How much work experience they had

Jobs listed before enrolling
2-3 jobs before: 47% (17 people)2-3 jobs before47%4+ jobs before: 36% (13 people)4+ jobs before36%Other: 17% (6 people)Other17%
Show as a table
PeopleShare
2-3 jobs before1747%
4+ jobs before1336%
Other617%

What they did right before

The step right before Columbia University
From other companies: 61% (22 people)From other companies61%Other: 39% (14 people)Other39%
Show as a table
PeopleShare
From other companies2261%
Other1439%

Education

Highest degree before arriving
Bachelor's: 93% (27 people)Bachelor's93%Master's: 3% (1 people)Master's3%PhD: 3% (1 people)PhD3%

Among the 29 of 36 people who list their education.

Show as a table
PeopleShare
Bachelor's2793%
Master's13%
PhD13%

How much experience they had

Years since their first job, when they arrived
Under 1 year: 9% (3 people)Under 1 year9%1-3 years: 15% (5 people)1-3 years15%3-5 years: 39% (13 people)3-5 years39%5-8 years: 33% (11 people)5-8 years33%8-12 years: 3% (1 people)8-12 years3%

Among the 33 of 36 people with an earlier job listed.

Show as a table
PeopleShare
Under 1 year39%
1-3 years515%
3-5 years1339%
5-8 years1133%
8-12 years13%
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Related

How these numbers are made. From 3k+ public career histories collected for careerladder.fyi (dated jobs, degrees and publications). The collection was built around particular employers, so people who reached well-known tech, AI and finance employers are over-represented: read shares as "among people in this dataset", not as hiring odds. Names are shown only when at least 5 people are behind them; smaller groups are combined into "Other". No individual profile is shown. Updated November 2026.