Is Harvard harder to get into than Columbia for college admissions?

Yes. In the broadest sense, Harvard is typically considered a bit harder to get into than Columbia, though both are among the most selective colleges in the country and the difference is small enough that no applicant should treat Columbia as meaningfully easier. For college list building, the practical takeaway is that both belong in the same ultra-reach category for almost everyone.

Harvard tends to draw an unusually deep applicant pool across nearly every academic and extracurricular profile. It also has a particularly strong global brand, which adds to the volume and depth of competition.

Columbia is absolutely in that same top tier, but the applicant experience can feel a little different. It often appeals especially strongly to students who want a Core Curriculum, an urban campus integrated into New York City, and a more specific academic-cultural vibe. That can make Columbia a sharper fit for some students, even if Harvard is often perceived as the tougher admit in the abstract.

So if your question is purely comparative, the usual answer is Harvard by a slight margin. If your question is how to build a realistic list, though, it makes more sense to treat both as extremely unpredictable reaches and choose between them based on fit, not on the idea that one offers much safer odds.