diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 378c5930..c603705e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -145,6 +145,18 @@ models:
           compare_model: ref('other_table_name')
           exclude_columns:
             - third_column
+
+  # if the columns to be compared have different names, you can match them up like this
+  - name: model_name_different_names
+    tests:
+      - dbt_utils.equality:
+          compare_model: ref('other_table_name')
+          compare_columns:
+            - first_column
+            # This will compare `model_name_different_names.second_column_in_model`
+            # and `other_table_name.second_column_in_other_table`
+            - [second_column_in_model, second_column_in_other_table]
+          precision: 4
 ```
 
 ### expression_is_true ([source](macros/generic_tests/expression_is_true.sql))
diff --git a/integration_tests/data/schema_tests/data_test_equality_different_column_names_a.csv b/integration_tests/data/schema_tests/data_test_equality_different_column_names_a.csv
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..756f55a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/integration_tests/data/schema_tests/data_test_equality_different_column_names_a.csv
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+col_a,tbl_a_col_b,tbl_a_col_float
+1,1,1.100005
+1,2,1.200005
+2,3,1.300005
diff --git a/integration_tests/data/schema_tests/data_test_equality_different_column_names_b.csv b/integration_tests/data/schema_tests/data_test_equality_different_column_names_b.csv
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25b72e9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/integration_tests/data/schema_tests/data_test_equality_different_column_names_b.csv
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+tbl_b_col_b,col_a,tbl_b_col_float
+1,1,1.100006
+2,1,1.200007
+3,2,1.300008
diff --git a/integration_tests/models/generic_tests/schema.yml b/integration_tests/models/generic_tests/schema.yml
index b12e3c7f..9f6a4779 100644
--- a/integration_tests/models/generic_tests/schema.yml
+++ b/integration_tests/models/generic_tests/schema.yml
@@ -164,6 +164,28 @@ seeds:
           exclude_columns:
             - col_c
 
+  - name: data_test_equality_different_column_names_a
+    data_tests:
+      - dbt_utils.equality:
+          compare_model: ref('data_test_equality_different_column_names_b')
+          compare_columns:
+            - col_a
+            - [tbl_a_col_b, tbl_b_col_b]
+      - dbt_utils.equality:
+          compare_model: ref('data_test_equality_different_column_names_b')
+          compare_columns:
+            - col_a
+            - [tbl_a_col_float, tbl_b_col_float]
+          precision: 4
+      - dbt_utils.equality:
+          compare_model: ref('data_test_equality_different_column_names_b')
+          compare_columns:
+            - col_a
+            - [tbl_a_col_float, tbl_b_col_float]
+          precision: 8
+          error_if: "<1" #sneaky way to ensure that the test is returning failing rows
+          warn_if: "<0"
+
   - name: data_test_equality_floats_a
     data_tests:
       # test precision only
diff --git a/macros/generic_tests/equality.sql b/macros/generic_tests/equality.sql
index d7d7197c..66271fef 100644
--- a/macros/generic_tests/equality.sql
+++ b/macros/generic_tests/equality.sql
@@ -63,42 +63,15 @@
     {%- endif -%}
 
     {% if compare_columns_set != compare_model_columns_set %}
-        {{ exceptions.raise_compiler_error(compare_model ~" has less columns than " ~ model ~ ", please ensure they have the same columns or use the `compare_columns` or `exclude_columns` arguments to subset them.") }}
+        {{ exceptions.raise_compiler_error(compare_model ~" has different columns than " ~ model ~ ", please ensure they have the same columns or use the `compare_columns` or `exclude_columns` arguments to subset them.") }}
     {% endif %}
 
 
 {% endif %}
 
-{%- if not precision -%}
-    {%- if not compare_columns -%}
-        {# 
-            You cannot get the columns in an ephemeral model (due to not existing in the information schema),
-            so if the user does not provide an explicit list of columns we must error in the case it is ephemeral
-        #}
-        {%- do dbt_utils._is_ephemeral(model, 'test_equality') -%}
-        {%- set compare_columns = adapter.get_columns_in_relation(model)-%}
-
-        {%- if exclude_columns -%}
-            {#-- Lower case ignore columns for easier comparison --#}
-            {%- set exclude_columns = exclude_columns | map("lower") | list %}
-
-            {# Filter out the excluded columns #}
-            {%- set include_columns = [] %}
-            {%- for column in compare_columns -%}
-                {%- if column.name | lower not in exclude_columns -%}
-                    {% do include_columns.append(column) %}
-                {%- endif %}
-            {%- endfor %}
-
-            {%- set compare_columns = include_columns | map(attribute='quoted') %}
-        {%- else -%} {# Compare columns provided #}
-            {%- set compare_columns = compare_columns | map(attribute='quoted') %}
-        {%- endif -%}
-    {%- endif -%}
-
-    {% set compare_cols_csv = compare_columns | join(', ') %}
-
-{% else %} {# Precision required #}
+{# If testing with precision, then find out which columns in the main input model are numeric #}
+{%- set numeric_columns = {} -%}
+{%- if precision -%}
     {#-
         If rounding is required, we need to get the types, so it cannot be ephemeral even if they provide column names
     -#}
@@ -107,23 +80,82 @@
 
     {% set columns_list = [] %}
     {%- for col in columns -%}
-        {%- if (
-                (col.name|lower in compare_columns|map('lower') or not compare_columns) and
-                (col.name|lower not in exclude_columns|map('lower') or not exclude_columns)
-                ) -%}
-            {# Databricks double type is not picked up by any number type checks in dbt #}
-            {%- if col.is_float() or col.is_numeric() or col.data_type == 'double' -%}
-                {# Cast is required due to postgres not having round for a double precision number #}
-                {%- do columns_list.append('round(cast(' ~ col.quoted ~ ' as ' ~ dbt.type_numeric() ~ '),' ~ precision ~ ') as ' ~ col.quoted) -%}
-            {%- else -%} {# Non-numeric type #}
-                {%- do columns_list.append(col.quoted) -%}
-            {%- endif -%}
-        {% endif %}
+        {# Databricks double type is not picked up by any number type checks in dbt #}
+        {%- if col.is_float() or col.is_numeric() or col.data_type == 'double' -%}
+            {#- Lower case the column name for easier case-insensitive comparison -#}
+            {%- do numeric_columns.update({col.name|lower: true}) -%}
+            {#- Also include the quoted version, since we may see it as well. -#}
+            {%- do numeric_columns.update({col.quoted|lower: true}) -%}
+        {%- endif -%}
     {%- endfor -%}
+{%- endif -%}
 
-    {% set compare_cols_csv = columns_list | join(', ') %}
+{# If compare_columns is provided, sort any given arrays into lists of columns for each model #}
+{%- if compare_columns -%}
+    {%- set compare_columns__model = [] %}
+    {%- set compare_columns__compare_model = [] %}
+
+    {%- for column in compare_columns -%}
+        {%- if column is string -%}
+            {# A simple string was given.  Assume the same column name in both models. #}
+            {%- do compare_columns__model.append(column) -%}
+            {%- do compare_columns__compare_model.append(column) -%}
+        {%- elif column is iterable and column | length == 2 -%}
+            {%- do compare_columns__model.append(column[0]) -%}
+            {%- do compare_columns__compare_model.append(column[1]) -%}
+        {%- else -%}
+            {{ exceptions.raise_compiler_error("compare_columns must be a string or a list of 2 strings") }}
+        {%- endif -%}
+    {%- endfor -%}
+{%- else -%}
+    {#
+        You cannot get the columns in an ephemeral model (due to not existing in the information schema),
+        so if the user does not provide an explicit list of columns we must error in the case it is ephemeral
+    #}
+    {%- do dbt_utils._is_ephemeral(model, 'test_equality') -%}
+    {%- set model_columns = adapter.get_columns_in_relation(model)-%}
 
-{% endif %}
+    {%- if exclude_columns -%}
+        {#-- Lower case ignore columns for easier comparison --#}
+        {%- set exclude_columns = exclude_columns | map("lower") | list %}
+    {%- endif -%}
+
+    {# Filter out the excluded columns #}
+    {%- set include_columns = [] %}
+    {%- for column in model_columns -%}
+        {%- if (not exclude_columns) or (column.name | lower not in exclude_columns) -%}
+            {% do include_columns.append(column) %}
+        {%- endif %}
+    {%- endfor %}
+
+    {# Assume same column names in the comparison model, since no alternates were given using compare_columns. #}
+    {%- set compare_columns__model = include_columns | map(attribute='quoted') | list %}
+    {%- set compare_columns__compare_model = compare_columns__model %}
+{%- endif -%}
+
+{# Build comma-delimited lists of column names for each input model.  Round numeric types as needed. #}
+{%- set compare_columns_csv = [] -%}
+{%- set numeric_column_indexes_in_first_model = [] -%}
+{%- for this_model_compare_columns in [compare_columns__model, compare_columns__compare_model] -%}
+    {%- set columns_list = [] %}
+    {%- set is_first_model = loop.first -%}
+
+    {%- for this_compare_column in this_model_compare_columns -%}
+        {# NOTE: We assume any numeric columns in the first model are also numeric in the second model #}
+        {%- if (is_first_model and this_compare_column|lower in numeric_columns) or (loop.index0 in numeric_column_indexes_in_first_model) -%}
+            {# Cast is required due to postgres not having round for a double precision number #}
+            {%- do columns_list.append('round(cast(' ~ this_compare_column ~ ' as ' ~ dbt.type_numeric() ~ '),' ~ precision ~ ') as ' ~ this_compare_column) -%}
+
+            {%- if is_first_model -%}
+                {%- do numeric_column_indexes_in_first_model.append(loop.index0) -%}
+            {%- endif -%}
+        {%- else -%} {# Non-numeric type #}
+            {%- do columns_list.append(this_compare_column) -%}
+        {%- endif -%}
+    {%- endfor -%}
+
+    {%- do compare_columns_csv.append(columns_list | join(', ')) -%}
+{%- endfor -%}
 
 with a as (
 
@@ -139,17 +171,17 @@ b as (
 
 a_minus_b as (
 
-    select {{compare_cols_csv}} from a
+    select {{compare_columns_csv[0]}} from a
     {{ dbt.except() }}
-    select {{compare_cols_csv}} from b
+    select {{compare_columns_csv[1]}} from b
 
 ),
 
 b_minus_a as (
 
-    select {{compare_cols_csv}} from b
+    select {{compare_columns_csv[1]}} from b
     {{ dbt.except() }}
-    select {{compare_cols_csv}} from a
+    select {{compare_columns_csv[0]}} from a
 
 ),