diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 856d139..8acda14 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Only accretive/fixative changes will be made from now on.
 Changes made since the 1.0.478 release:
 * Address #124 by extending `next.jdbc.sql.builder/for-query` to support `:top` (SQL Server), `:limit` / `:offset` (MySQL/PostgreSQL), `:offset` / `:fetch` (SQL Standard).
 * Allow `:all` to be passed into `find-by-keys` instead of an example hash map or a where clause vector so all rows will be returned (expected to be used with `:offset` etc to support simple pagination of an entire table).
+* Add `:columns` option to `find-by-keys` (and `get-by-id`) to specify a subset of columns to be returned in each row. This can also specify an alias for the column and allows for computed expressions to be selected with an alias.
 
 ## Stable Builds
 
diff --git a/doc/all-the-options.md b/doc/all-the-options.md
index 4ff64cb..e9608fe 100644
--- a/doc/all-the-options.md
+++ b/doc/all-the-options.md
@@ -43,9 +43,14 @@ They also support a `:suffix` argument which can be used to specify a SQL string
 
 In addition, `find-by-keys` accepts the following options (see its docstring for more details):
 
+* `:columns` -- specify one or more columns to `SELECT` to override selecting all columns,
 * `:order-by` -- specify one or more columns, on which to sort the results,
 * `:top` / `:limit` / `:offset` / `:fetch` to support pagination of results.
 
+In the simple case, the `:columns` option expects a vector of keywords and each will be processed according to `:column-fn`, if provided. A column alias can be specified using a vector pair of keywords and both will be processed according to `:column-fn`, e.g., `[:foo [:bar :quux]]` would expand to `foo, bar AS quux`. You can also specify the first element of the pair as a string which will be used as-is in the generated SQL, e.g., `[:foo ["COUNT(*)" :total]]` would expand to `foo, COUNT(*) AS total`. In the latter case, the alias keyword will still be processed according to `:column-fn` but the string will be untouched -- you are responsible for any quoting and/or other formatting that might be required to produce a valid SQL expression.
+
+> Note: `get-by-id` accepts the same options as `find-by-keys` but it will only ever produce one row, as a hash map, so sort order and pagination are less applicable, although `:columns` may be useful.
+
 ## Generating Rows and Result Sets
 
 Any function that might realize a row or a result set will accept:
diff --git a/src/next/jdbc/specs.clj b/src/next/jdbc/specs.clj
index a442cd2..6d63ea2 100644
--- a/src/next/jdbc/specs.clj
+++ b/src/next/jdbc/specs.clj
@@ -70,12 +70,22 @@
 (s/def ::key-map (s/map-of keyword? any?))
 (s/def ::example-map (s/map-of keyword? any? :min-count 1))
 
+;; can be a simple column name (keyword) or a pair of something and as alias
+;; and that something can be a simple column name (keyword) or an arbitrary
+;; expression (string) where we assume you know what you're doing
+(s/def ::column-spec (s/or :column keyword?
+                           :alias  (s/and vector?
+                                          (s/cat :expr   (s/or :col keyword?
+                                                               :str string?)
+                                                 :column keyword?))))
+(s/def ::columns (s/coll-of ::column-spec :kind vector?))
+
 (s/def ::order-by-col (s/or :col keyword?
                             :dir (s/cat :col keyword?
                                         :dir #{:asc :desc})))
 (s/def ::order-by (s/coll-of ::order-by-col :kind vector? :min-count 1))
 (s/def ::opts-map (s/and (s/map-of keyword? any?)
-                         (s/keys :opt-un [::order-by])))
+                         (s/keys :opt-un [::columns ::order-by])))
 
 (s/def ::transactable any?)
 
diff --git a/src/next/jdbc/sql.clj b/src/next/jdbc/sql.clj
index 4b77fc0..882ddd3 100644
--- a/src/next/jdbc/sql.clj
+++ b/src/next/jdbc/sql.clj
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@
   If `:all` is passed instead of a hash map or vector -- the query will
   select all rows in the table, subject to any pagination options below.
 
+  If `:columns` is passed, only that specified subset of columns will be
+  returned in each row (otherwise all columns are selected).
+
   If the `:order-by` option is present, add an `ORDER BY` clause. `:order-by`
   should be a vector of column names or pairs of column name / direction,
   which can be `:asc` or `:desc`.
@@ -114,6 +117,9 @@
   By default, the primary key is assumed to be `id` but that can be overridden
   in the five-argument call.
 
+  As with `find-by-keys`, you can specify `:columns` to return just a
+  subset of the columns in the returned row.
+
   Technically, this also supports `:order-by`, `:top`, `:limit`, `:offset`,
   and `:fetch` -- like `find-by-keys` -- but they don't make as much sense
   here since only one row is ever returned."
diff --git a/src/next/jdbc/sql/builder.clj b/src/next/jdbc/sql/builder.clj
index 53ae646..b2f7a5f 100644
--- a/src/next/jdbc/sql/builder.clj
+++ b/src/next/jdbc/sql/builder.clj
@@ -13,16 +13,46 @@
 (defn as-?
   "Given a hash map of column names and values, or a vector of column names,
   return a string of `?` placeholders for them."
-  [key-map opts]
+  [key-map _]
   (str/join ", " (repeat (count key-map) "?")))
 
+(defn as-cols
+  "Given a sequence of raw column names, return a string of all the
+  formatted column names.
+
+  If a raw column name is a keyword, apply `:column-fn` to its name,
+  from the options if present.
+
+  If a raw column name is a vector pair, treat it as an expression with
+  an alias. If the first item is a keyword, apply `:column-fn` to its
+  name, else accept it as-is. The second item should be a keyword and
+  that will have `:column-fn` applied to its name.
+
+  This allows columns to be specified as simple names, e.g., `:foo`,
+  as simple aliases, e.g., `[:foo :bar]`, or as expressions with an
+  alias, e.g., `[\"count(*)\" :total]`."
+  [cols opts]
+  (let [col-fn (:column-fn opts identity)]
+    (str/join ", " (map (fn [raw]
+                          (if (vector? raw)
+                            (if (keyword? (first raw))
+                              (str (col-fn (name (first raw)))
+                                   " AS "
+                                   (col-fn (name (second raw))))
+                              (str (first raw)
+                                   " AS "
+                                   (col-fn (name (second raw)))))
+                            (col-fn (name raw))))
+                        cols))))
+
+
 (defn as-keys
   "Given a hash map of column names and values, return a string of all the
   column names.
 
   Applies any `:column-fn` supplied in the options."
   [key-map opts]
-  (str/join ", " (map (comp (:column-fn opts identity) name) (keys key-map))))
+  (as-cols (keys key-map) opts))
 
 (defn by-keys
   "Given a hash map of column names and values and a clause type
@@ -148,6 +178,12 @@
 
   Applies any `:table-fn` / `:column-fn` supplied in the options.
 
+  Handles pagination options (`:top`, `:limit` / `:offset`, or `:offset` /
+  `:fetch`) for SQL Server, MySQL / SQLite, ANSI SQL respectively.
+
+  By default, this selects all columns, but if the `:columns` option is
+  present the select will only be those columns.
+
   If `:suffix` is provided in `opts`, that string is appended to the
   `SELECT ...` statement."
   [table where-params opts]
@@ -169,7 +205,10 @@
     (into [(str "SELECT "
                 (when (:top opts)
                   "TOP ? ")
-                "* FROM " (entity-fn (name table))
+                (if-let [cols (seq (:columns opts))]
+                  (as-cols cols opts)
+                  "*")
+                " FROM " (entity-fn (name table))
                 (when-let [clause (first where-params)]
                   (str " " clause))
                 (when-let [order-by (:order-by opts)]
diff --git a/test/next/jdbc/sql/builder_test.clj b/test/next/jdbc/sql/builder_test.clj
index d02d419..82e6132 100644
--- a/test/next/jdbc/sql/builder_test.clj
+++ b/test/next/jdbc/sql/builder_test.clj
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@
     (is (= (builder/by-keys {:a nil :b 42 :c "s"} :set {})
            ["SET a = ?, b = ?, c = ?" nil 42 "s"]))))
 
+(deftest test-as-cols
+  (is (= (builder/as-cols [:a :b :c] {})
+         "a, b, c"))
+  (is (= (builder/as-cols [[:a :aa] :b ["count(*)" :c]] {})
+         "a AS aa, b, count(*) AS c"))
+  (is (= (builder/as-cols [[:a :aa] :b ["count(*)" :c]] {:column-fn mysql})
+         "`a` AS `aa`, `b`, count(*) AS `c`")))
+
 (deftest test-as-keys
   (is (= (builder/as-keys {:a nil :b 42 :c "s"} {})
          "a, b, c")))
diff --git a/test/next/jdbc/sql_test.clj b/test/next/jdbc/sql_test.clj
index 8993ebb..d19a879 100644
--- a/test/next/jdbc/sql_test.clj
+++ b/test/next/jdbc/sql_test.clj
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
             [next.jdbc.sql :as sql]
             [next.jdbc.test-fixtures
              :refer [with-test-db ds column default-options
+                      db
                       derby? jtds? maria? mssql? mysql? postgres? sqlite?]]
             [next.jdbc.types :refer [as-other as-real as-varchar]]))
 
@@ -28,16 +29,24 @@
 
 (deftest test-find-all-offset
   (let [ds-opts (jdbc/with-options (ds) (default-options))
-        rs      (sql/find-by-keys ds-opts :fruit :all
-                                  (assoc (if (or (mysql?) (sqlite?))
-                                           {:limit  2 :offset 1}
-                                           {:offset 1 :fetch  2})
-                                         :order-by [:id]))]
+        rs      (sql/find-by-keys
+                 ds-opts :fruit :all
+                 (assoc
+                  (if (or (mysql?) (sqlite?))
+                    {:limit  2 :offset 1}
+                    {:offset 1 :fetch  2})
+                  :columns [:ID
+                            ["CASE WHEN grade > 91 THEN 'ok ' ELSE 'bad' END"
+                             :QUALITY]]
+                  :order-by [:id]))]
     (is (= 2 (count rs)))
     (is (every? map? rs))
     (is (every? meta rs))
+    (is (every? #(= 2 (count %)) rs))
     (is (= 2 ((column :FRUIT/ID) (first rs))))
-    (is (= 3 ((column :FRUIT/ID) (last rs))))))
+    (is (= "ok " ((column :QUALITY) (first rs))))
+    (is (= 3 ((column :FRUIT/ID) (last rs))))
+    (is (= "bad" ((column :QUALITY) (last rs))))))
 
 (deftest test-find-by-keys
   (let [ds-opts (jdbc/with-options (ds) (default-options))]