diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1535d41df0e..f3f71424a6b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 - PR #3192 Add dtype param to cast `DataFrame` on init
 - PR #3222 Add nvtext character tokenizer
 - PR #3223 Java expose underlying buffers
+- PR #3255 Add utility to print column
 - PR #3300 Add `DataFrame.insert`
 - PR #3263 Define and implement new `valid_if`
 - PR #3278 Add `to_host` utility to copy `column_view` to host
diff --git a/cpp/tests/utilities/column_utilities.cu b/cpp/tests/utilities/column_utilities.cu
index c02bf0d40d4..20892ab72ec 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/utilities/column_utilities.cu
+++ b/cpp/tests/utilities/column_utilities.cu
@@ -19,7 +19,12 @@
 #include <cudf/column/column_view.hpp>
 #include <cudf/table/row_operators.cuh>
 #include <cudf/table/table_device_view.cuh>
+#include <cudf/utilities/bit.hpp>
+#include <cudf/strings/convert/convert_datetime.hpp>
+#include <cudf/detail/copy.hpp>
+
 #include <tests/utilities/cudf_gtest.hpp>
+#include <tests/utilities/column_wrapper.hpp>
 
 #include <thrust/equal.h>
 
@@ -34,26 +39,88 @@ void expect_column_properties_equal(cudf::column_view lhs, cudf::column_view rhs
   EXPECT_EQ(lhs.size(), rhs.size());
   EXPECT_EQ(lhs.null_count(), rhs.null_count());
   if (lhs.size() > 0) {
-      EXPECT_EQ(lhs.nullable(), rhs.nullable());
+     EXPECT_EQ(lhs.nullable(), rhs.nullable());
   }
   EXPECT_EQ(lhs.has_nulls(), rhs.has_nulls());
   EXPECT_EQ(lhs.num_children(), rhs.num_children());
 }
 
-// Verify elementwise equality
-void expect_columns_equal(cudf::column_view lhs, cudf::column_view rhs) {
+class corresponding_rows_unequal {
+public:
+  corresponding_rows_unequal(table_device_view d_lhs, table_device_view d_rhs): comp(d_lhs, d_rhs) {
+  }
+  
+  cudf::experimental::row_equality_comparator<true> comp;
+    
+  __device__ bool operator()(size_type index) {
+    return !comp(index, index);
+  }
+};
+
+void expect_columns_equal(cudf::column_view lhs, cudf::column_view rhs, bool print_all_differences) {
   expect_column_properties_equal(lhs, rhs);
 
   auto d_lhs = cudf::table_device_view::create(table_view{{lhs}});
   auto d_rhs = cudf::table_device_view::create(table_view{{rhs}});
 
-  EXPECT_TRUE(
-      thrust::equal(thrust::device, thrust::make_counting_iterator(0),
-                    thrust::make_counting_iterator(lhs.size()),
-                    thrust::make_counting_iterator(0),
-                    cudf::experimental::row_equality_comparator<true>{*d_lhs, *d_rhs}));
+  thrust::device_vector<int> differences(lhs.size());
+
+  auto diff_iter = thrust::copy_if(thrust::device,
+                                   thrust::make_counting_iterator(0),
+                                   thrust::make_counting_iterator(lhs.size()),
+                                   differences.begin(),
+                                   corresponding_rows_unequal(*d_lhs, *d_rhs));
 
   CUDA_TRY(cudaDeviceSynchronize());
+
+  differences.resize(thrust::distance(differences.begin(), diff_iter));
+
+  if (diff_iter > differences.begin()) {
+    if (print_all_differences) {
+      //
+      //  If there are differences, display them all
+      //
+      std::ostringstream buffer;
+      buffer << "differences:" << std::endl;
+      
+      cudf::table_view source_table ({lhs, rhs});
+
+      fixed_width_column_wrapper<int32_t> diff_column(differences.begin(), differences.end());
+
+      std::unique_ptr<cudf::experimental::table> diff_table = cudf::experimental::gather(source_table,
+											 diff_column);
+      
+      //
+      //  Need to pull back the differences
+      //
+      std::vector<std::string> h_left_strings = to_strings(diff_table->get_column(0));
+      std::vector<std::string> h_right_strings = to_strings(diff_table->get_column(1));
+
+      for (size_t i = 0 ; i < differences.size() ; ++i) {
+          buffer << "lhs[" << differences[i] << "] = " << h_left_strings[i]
+                 << ", rhs[" << differences[i] << "] = " << h_right_strings[i] << std::endl;
+      }
+
+      EXPECT_EQ(differences.size(), size_t{0}) << buffer.str();
+    } else {
+      //
+      //  If there are differences, just display the first one
+      //
+      int index = differences[0];
+
+      auto diff_lhs = cudf::experimental::detail::slice(lhs, index, index+1);
+      auto diff_rhs = cudf::experimental::detail::slice(rhs, index, index+1);
+
+      std::vector<std::string> h_left_strings = to_strings(diff_lhs);
+      std::vector<std::string> h_right_strings = to_strings(diff_rhs);
+
+      EXPECT_EQ(differences.size(), size_t{0}) << "first difference: "
+                                               << "lhs[" << index << "] = "
+                                               << to_string(diff_lhs, "")
+                                               << ", rhs[" << index << "] = "
+                                               << to_string(diff_rhs, "");
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 // Bitwise equality
@@ -69,5 +136,81 @@ void expect_equal_buffers(void const* lhs, void const* rhs,
                             typed_rhs));
 }
 
+struct column_view_printer {
+  template <typename Element, typename std::enable_if_t<is_numeric<Element>()>* = nullptr>
+  void operator()(cudf::column_view const& col, std::vector<std::string> & out) {
+    auto h_data = cudf::test::to_host<Element>(col);
+
+    out.resize(col.size());
+
+    if (col.nullable()) {
+      size_type index = 0;
+      std::transform(h_data.first.begin(), h_data.first.end(), out.begin(), [&h_data, &index](Element el) {
+          return (bit_is_set(h_data.second.data(), index++)) ? std::to_string(el) : std::string("@");
+        });
+    } else {
+      std::transform(h_data.first.begin(), h_data.first.end(), out.begin(), [](Element el) {
+          return std::to_string(el);
+        });
+    }
+  }
+
+  template <typename Element, typename std::enable_if_t<is_timestamp<Element>()>* = nullptr>
+  void operator()(cudf::column_view const& col, std::vector<std::string> & out) {
+    //
+    //  For timestamps, convert timestamp column to column of strings, then
+    //  call string version
+    //
+    auto col_as_strings = cudf::strings::from_timestamps(col);
+
+    this->template operator()<cudf::string_view>(*col_as_strings, out);
+  }
+
+  template <typename Element, typename std::enable_if_t<std::is_same<Element, cudf::string_view>::value>* = nullptr>
+  void operator()(cudf::column_view const& col, std::vector<std::string> & out) {
+    //
+    //  Implementation for strings, call special to_host variant
+    //
+    auto h_data = cudf::test::to_host<std::string>(col);
+
+    out.resize(col.size());
+
+    if (col.nullable()) {
+      size_type index = 0;
+      std::transform(h_data.first.begin(), h_data.first.end(), out.begin(), [&h_data, &index](std::string el) {
+          return (bit_is_set(h_data.second.data(), index++)) ? el : std::string("@");
+        });
+    } else {
+      out = std::move(h_data.first);
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+std::vector<std::string> to_strings(cudf::column_view const& col) {
+  std::vector<std::string> reply;
+
+  cudf::experimental::type_dispatcher(col.type(),
+                                      column_view_printer{}, 
+                                      col,
+                                      reply);
+
+  return reply;
+}
+
+std::string to_string(cudf::column_view const& col, std::string const& delimiter) {
+
+  std::ostringstream buffer;
+  std::vector<std::string> h_data = to_strings(col);
+
+  std::copy(h_data.begin(), h_data.end() - 1, std::ostream_iterator<std::string>(buffer, delimiter.c_str()));
+  buffer << h_data.back();
+
+  return buffer.str();
+}
+
+void print(cudf::column_view const& col, std::ostream &os, std::string const& delimiter) {
+  os << to_string(col, delimiter);
+}
+
 }  // namespace test
 }  // namespace cudf
diff --git a/cpp/tests/utilities/column_utilities.hpp b/cpp/tests/utilities/column_utilities.hpp
index 6512b9a75a2..2d7fe5c25d3 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/utilities/column_utilities.hpp
+++ b/cpp/tests/utilities/column_utilities.hpp
@@ -39,10 +39,11 @@ void expect_column_properties_equal(cudf::column_view lhs, cudf::column_view rhs
  *
  * Treats null elements as equivalent.
  *
- * @param lhs The first column
- * @param rhs The second column
- */
-void expect_columns_equal(cudf::column_view lhs, cudf::column_view rhs);
+ * @param lhs                   The first column
+ * @param rhs                   The second column
+ * @param print_all_differences If true display all differences
+ *---------------------------------------------------------------------------**/
+void expect_columns_equal(cudf::column_view lhs, cudf::column_view rhs, bool print_all_differences = false);
 
 /**
  * @brief Verifies the bitwise equality of two device memory buffers.
@@ -54,6 +55,30 @@ void expect_columns_equal(cudf::column_view lhs, cudf::column_view rhs);
 void expect_equal_buffers(void const* lhs, void const* rhs,
                           std::size_t size_bytes);
 
+/**---------------------------------------------------------------------------*
+ * @brief Displays a column view as a string
+ *
+ * @param col The column view
+ * @param delimiter The delimiter to put between strings
+ *---------------------------------------------------------------------------**/
+std::string to_string(cudf::column_view const& col, std::string const& delimiter);
+
+/**---------------------------------------------------------------------------*
+ * @brief Convert column values to a host vector of strings
+ *
+ * @param col The column view
+ *---------------------------------------------------------------------------**/
+std::vector<std::string> to_strings(cudf::column_view const& col);
+
+/**---------------------------------------------------------------------------*
+ * @brief Print a column view to an ostream
+ *
+ * @param os        The output stream
+ * @param col       The column view
+ * @param delimiter The delimiter to put between strings
+ *---------------------------------------------------------------------------**/
+void print(cudf::column_view const& col, std:: ostream &os = std::cout, std::string const& delimiter=",");
+
 /**
  * @brief Copies the data and bitmask of a `column_view` to the host.
  *
diff --git a/cpp/tests/utilities_tests/column_utilities_tests.cu b/cpp/tests/utilities_tests/column_utilities_tests.cu
index a2a73c564ef..f3b79aae985 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/utilities_tests/column_utilities_tests.cu
+++ b/cpp/tests/utilities_tests/column_utilities_tests.cu
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <tests/utilities/type_lists.hpp>
 
 template <typename T>
+
 struct ColumnUtilitiesTest
     : public cudf::test::BaseFixture,
       cudf::test::UniformRandomGenerator<cudf::size_type> {
@@ -35,7 +36,11 @@ struct ColumnUtilitiesTest
   }
 };
 
+template <typename T>
+struct ColumnUtilitiesTestNumeric : public cudf::test::BaseFixture {};
+
 TYPED_TEST_CASE(ColumnUtilitiesTest, cudf::test::FixedWidthTypes);
+TYPED_TEST_CASE(ColumnUtilitiesTestNumeric, cudf::test::NumericTypes);
 
 TYPED_TEST(ColumnUtilitiesTest, NonNullableToHost) {
   auto sequence = cudf::test::make_counting_transform_iterator(
@@ -98,3 +103,58 @@ TEST_F(ColumnUtilitiesStringsTest, StringsToHostAllNulls)
   auto host_data = cudf::test::to_host<std::string>(strings);
   EXPECT_TRUE( host_data.first.empty() );
 }
+
+TYPED_TEST(ColumnUtilitiesTestNumeric, PrintColumnNumeric) {
+  const char* delimiter = ",";
+
+  cudf::test::fixed_width_column_wrapper<TypeParam> cudf_col({1, 2, 3, 4, 5});
+  std::vector<TypeParam>                            std_col({1, 2, 3, 4, 5});
+
+  std::ostringstream tmp;
+
+  int index = 0;
+  for (auto x : std_col) {
+    tmp << ((index == 0) ? "" : delimiter);
+    tmp << std::to_string(x);
+    ++index;
+  }
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(cudf::test::to_string(cudf_col, delimiter), tmp.str());
+}
+
+TYPED_TEST(ColumnUtilitiesTestNumeric, PrintColumnWithInvalids) {
+  const char* delimiter = ",";
+
+  cudf::test::fixed_width_column_wrapper<TypeParam> cudf_col{ {1, 2, 3, 4, 5},
+                                                              {1, 0, 1, 0, 1} };
+  std::vector<TypeParam>                            std_col({1, 2, 3, 4, 5});
+
+  std::ostringstream tmp;
+  tmp << std::to_string(std_col[0])
+      << delimiter << "@"
+      << delimiter << std::to_string(std_col[2])
+      << delimiter << "@"
+      << delimiter << std::to_string(std_col[4]);
+  
+  EXPECT_EQ(cudf::test::to_string(cudf_col, delimiter), tmp.str());
+}
+
+TEST_F(ColumnUtilitiesStringsTest, StringsToString) {
+  const char* delimiter = ",";
+
+  std::vector<const char*> h_strings{ "eee", "bb", nullptr, "", "aa", "bbb", "ééé" };
+  cudf::test::strings_column_wrapper strings( h_strings.begin(), h_strings.end(),
+        thrust::make_transform_iterator( h_strings.begin(), [] (auto str) { return str!=nullptr; }));
+
+
+  std::ostringstream tmp;
+  tmp << h_strings[0]
+      << delimiter << h_strings[1]
+      << delimiter << "@"
+      << delimiter << h_strings[3]
+      << delimiter << h_strings[4]
+      << delimiter << h_strings[5]
+      << delimiter << h_strings[6];
+  
+  EXPECT_EQ(cudf::test::to_string(strings, delimiter), tmp.str());
+}