What Columbia Climate School does

Columbia Climate School is a non-profit academic unit within Columbia University, established in 2020 and headquartered in New York City. Its mission is to educate climate leaders and advance research addressing climate change and sustainability challenges. The school encompasses the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (located in Palisades, NY) and more than 25 transdisciplinary research centers, supporting 200+ active research projects with $1B+ in total research sponsorship since 2013 across 490+ funding partners.

The school's core educational offerings include three master's degree programs: the two-year MS in Climate (with specializations in Climate Systems and Analytics, Climate and Food Systems, and Climate and Disaster Management), the one-year MS in Climate Finance (launched February 2025 as the first such program in the United States), and the one-year MA in Climate and Society. Beyond degrees, the school offers Dual Degree Programs with Columbia Business School and Sciences Po, Executive Education for corporate clients, Professional Learning for working professionals, Pre-College Programs for high school students, and K-12 educator resources. Research infrastructure includes 500+ PhD-level researchers and the R/V Marcus G. Langseth research vessel.

The business model operates on multiple revenue streams: graduate tuition (administered through Columbia University), executive education and professional learning fees (pricing not publicly disclosed), a $95 non-refundable graduate application fee, and research grants/sponsorship. The go-to-market is primarily sales-led through formal admissions processes, information sessions, and enterprise-level partnerships with corporate clients such as Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). Customer segments include prospective graduate students, working professionals, K-12 educators, high school students, and enterprise executives seeking climate leadership training. Marketing channels span content (State of the Planet blog), newsletters, social media, and events including Climate Week NYC and COP conferences.

Name

Columbia Climate School

Legal name

Columbia University

Website

https://climate.columbia.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Columbia Climate School is Columbia University's non-profit climate-focused academic unit, offering graduate degree programs (MS in Climate, MS in Climate Finance, MA in Climate and Society), executive education, and dual degrees with partner institutions including Sciences Po, supported by 500+ PhD researchers and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Graduate Tuition: Revenue from graduate degree programs including MS in Climate, MS in Climate Finance, MA in Climate and Society, and partner programs. Students pay Columbia University tuition for enrollment.
2. Professional Learning Programs: Revenue from professional development and executive education programs for working professionals and organizations seeking climate and sustainability skills.
3. Pre-College Programs: Revenue from summer and pre-college programs for high school students exploring climate research and solutions.
4. Application Fees: Non-refundable $95 application fee for graduate program applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Columbia Climate School is a nonprofit academic unit of Columbia University that delivers graduate master's degrees (MS in Climate, MS in Climate Finance, MA in Climate and Society) and dual degree programs, alongside executive education, professional learning, and pre-college offerings. It also operates a major climate research enterprise anchored by the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and more than 25 research centers, supporting 200+ active research projects.

Product overview

Columbia Climate School is an educational institution at Columbia University offering a portfolio of graduate degree programs and professional learning opportunities focused on climate science, sustainability, and climate solutions. The school's core educational offerings include three master's programs: the two-year MS in Climate (with specializations in Climate Systems and Analytics, Climate and Food Systems, and Climate and Disaster Management), the one-year MS in Climate Finance (the first such program in the United States), and the one-year MA in Climate and Society. The school also offers Dual Degree Programs in partnership with other Columbia schools and international institutions like Sciences Po in Paris. Beyond degree programs, the school provides Executive Education, Professional Learning, and Pre-College Programs. The institution encompasses Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and over 25 research centers, supporting a continuum of research from basic discovery to societal solutions with over $1B in research sponsorship since 2013.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MS in Climate A two-year graduate degree program combining core climate knowledge with specialization tracks in Climate Systems and Analytics, Climate and Food Systems, and Climate and Disaster Management, designed for students pursuing careers in climate science and sustainability.
• MS in Climate Finance A one-year graduate degree program joining core climate knowledge with fundamental financial management practices, positioned as the first M.S. in Climate Finance program in the United States and requiring a quantitative resume.
• MA in Climate and Society A one-year graduate degree program providing core climate knowledge and flexible training for professionals and academics addressing the impacts of climate change on society and the environment.
• Dual Degree Programs Two-year dual master's programs enabling students to earn the MS in Climate from Columbia Climate School alongside a second master's degree from Columbia Business School, Sciences Po's Paris Climate School, or another partner institution.
• Executive Education Customized and open-enrollment programs for professionals and organizations to develop transformative climate leadership skills, including partnerships such as the CD&R Climate Leadership Program delivered with Imperial College Business School.
• Professional Learning Direct-enrollment programs for working professionals to develop new skills and knowledge in climate and sustainability outside of a full degree program.
• Pre-College Programs Summer and pre-college programs for high school students to explore real-world climate research, ideas, and solutions.
• Research Centers and Programs The school's research arm encompassing Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and more than 20 other centers and programs, supporting a continuum of research from basic discovery to societal solutions across 200+ active projects.
• Global Impact Lab An initiative focused on turning bold climate ideas into real-world action through partnerships that drive tangible change at scale.

Quantifiable outcome

• First M.S. in Climate Finance program in the United States
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sciences Po (Paris Climate School)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2026Columbia Climate School and Sciences Po's Paris Climate School launching a new dual master's program at the intersection of climate science and ecological governance. This partnership expands international academic collaboration in climate education.
• Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026CD&R expanded its Climate Leadership Program to Europe with Imperial College Business School while extending its Columbia University partnership for a second year. Both programs help senior executives translate climate and sustainability considerations into operational and financial outcomes for CD&R portfolio companies. The transatlantic program expansion aims to accelerate deployment of sustainability-driven value creation practices.
• Imperial College Business School - Leonardo Centre on Business for SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026European expansion partner for CD&R's Climate Leadership Program, bringing the successful inaugural 2025 program model to Europe. The Leonardo Centre focuses on business for society, aligning with the program's goal of sustainability integration in corporate operations.
• Columbia Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school for dual degree programs including MS in Climate Finance. Students benefit from Columbia Climate School's climate expertise combined with Business School's finance and management curriculum.
• MS in Sustainability Management (Partner Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner program awarded by another Columbia University school (School of Professional Studies). Students benefit from collaborative relationship including professional development, early priority access to cross-registration, events, alumni networking, and other programming.
• MS in Sustainability Science (Partner Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner program awarded by another Columbia University school (Earth Institute). Students benefit from collaborative relationship including professional development, early priority access to cross-registration, events, alumni networking, and other programming.
• Lamont-Doherty Earth ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research arm of Columbia Climate School. World-renowned earth science research institution that is part of Columbia's research infrastructure, supporting basic discovery to societal solutions in climate and earth sciences.
• AGU (American Geophysical Union)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for AGU25 conference hosting and scientific collaboration. Columbia Climate School researchers and students participate in AGU meetings and events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability: The most directly comparable institution: a dedicated climate/sustainability school within a top-tier US research university, founded in 2022 at Stanford with similar offerings across graduate degrees, research centers, and executive engagement. Both schools compete for the same faculty, students, and philanthropic funding within Ivy-plus-tier research universities.
• Yale School of the Environment: One of the oldest and most established climate/environmental schools in the US; offers graduate degrees, executive programs, and research centers with the same interdisciplinary science-policy-finance orientation as Columbia Climate School. Direct competitor for prospective master's applicants and corporate executive education clients.
• Sciences Po Paris Climate School: A partner of Columbia Climate School for a new dual master's program in climate science and ecological governance; a comparable climate-focused graduate school at a leading European university. Direct overlap on curriculum and a shared bilateral student pipeline.
• Imperial College Business School — Leonardo Centre on Business for Society: Imperial's center at the intersection of business and climate/sustainability; partner with Columbia on the CD&R Climate Leadership Program's European expansion. Comparable in focus on translating climate science into corporate and financial outcomes for executives.

Broad incumbents

• Harvard Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability: Harvard's interdisciplinary climate institute spanning multiple schools, offering graduate and executive programs with similar climate science, policy, and finance focus. While not a single dedicated "school," it is the closest Ivy League analogue to Columbia Climate School's positioning and competes for the same faculty, students, and donors.
• University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership: A leading global climate and sustainability institute offering executive education, master's-level programs, and corporate partnerships directly comparable to Columbia Climate School's executive and professional learning portfolio. Operates on a larger, more established scale.
• University of Oxford — Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment: Oxford's climate and sustainability research and teaching institute offering graduate programmes, executive education, and policy engagement. Comparable interdisciplinary climate-science-and-policy positioning at a top global university.
• MIT Climate & Sustainability: MIT's cross-cutting climate and sustainability initiative spanning research, graduate programs, and industry engagement at one of the world's leading research universities. Comparable technical and policy depth, broader portfolio than Columbia's standalone school.

Emerging players

• LSE — Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment: A leading climate economics and policy institute at LSE offering graduate-level teaching and policy engagement with strong climate finance orientation — overlapping directly with Columbia's MS in Climate Finance and MA in Climate and Society offerings.
• Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability: Cornell's interdisciplinary climate and sustainability hub supporting research, graduate training, and partnerships across departments — a smaller-scale but conceptually parallel institution operating inside another Ivy League research university.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/columbiaclimate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ColumbiaClimate
• Facebookfacebook.com/columbiaclimate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-climate-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/columbiaclimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia Climate School