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Cornell University

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · City · 15,995 students
WebsiteCommon AppForbes rankingScorecard
Nov 1 · Early Decision (binding) · in 30 days
Checked Sep 2026 · admissions.cornell.edu
$28,690
Average net priceYour net price
2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
95%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
70% typical
$104,043
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$63,395 typical
9%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
73% typical · not scored
Accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education
About

As the federal land-grant institution of the Ivy League, Cornell University is renowned for combining top-tier academic prestige with a uniquely egalitarian mission guided by its founding motto, "any person, any study." The university is distinguished by a rare hybrid public-private structure, offering world-class programs in engineering, architecture, agriculture and life sciences, and the globally celebrated Nolan School of Hotel Administration. Nestled above Ithaca’s famous gorges, campus culture balances intense academic rigor with a grounded, collaborative community that deeply embraces the outdoors and traditions like Slope Day. This unique blend of elite research capabilities, diverse course offerings, and stunning natural surroundings sets the Cornell experience apart.

Wikipedia:Cornell University is a private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson White in 1865. Since its founding, Cornell University has been a co-educational and nonsectarian institution. As of fall 2024, the student body included 16,128 undergraduate and 10,665 postgraduate students from all 50 U.S. states and 130 countries.

Location
Ithaca, NY, 14853 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
SYR · Syracuse
50 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$69,314
Housing & food (on campus)$19,428
Books & supplies$1,226
Cost of attendance$99,734
Average net price$28,690
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$69,314
Housing & food (on campus)$19,428
Books & supplies$1,226
Cost of attendance$99,734
Average net price$28,690
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: finaid.cornell.edu
How it’s made up · out-of-state, 2026-27
Cornell University’s own figures for 2026-27, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.
Tuition$73,946
Fees$1,024
Housing$13,744
Food$7,604
Books & supplies$1,234
Personal expenses$2,182
Total published by the school$99,734
Net price by family income · 2023-24
$0–30k
$1,776
$30–48k
$4,070
$48–75k
$6,796
$75–110k
$14,311
$110k+
$49,992
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
95%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
87%
Back for yr 2
98%
Transferred
0%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
96% graduated · 3% transferred · 1% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$87,830
10 yrs after entry$104,043
Debt
Median at graduation$14,000
Monthly payment$148
Middle 50% owe$6k–$19.7k
90th percentile$26,633
Green marks a figure above the typical Doctoral University: 70% graduate within 6 yrs, $63,395 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
9%
Test policy
Required
Checked Sep 2026
SAT average
1535
R 730–770 · M 770–800
ACT midpoint
34
Comp 33–35 · E 35–36 · M 33–35
SAT middle 50%: 1500–1570
40080012001600
Application deadlines · first-year, fall 2027 entry
Early Decision
Nov 1 2026
binding in 30 days
If admitted, you must enroll and withdraw other applications.
Regular Decision
Dec 11 2026
in 70 days
Not binding: the standard deadline.
Checked Sep 2026 · admissions.cornell.edu · Confirm on the school's site before you apply.

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Essay prompts

If Cornell University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 45%Women 55%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
9 : 1
Pell grant
18%
First-gen
15%
Family income
$75,110
Independent
6%
Age at entry
19.0
Part-time
1%
Race & ethnicity
White
31%
Hispanic
13%
Black
7%
Asian
27%
Two or more
6%
Non-resident
10%
Unknown
6%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division I-FCS · EADA 2024-25
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Equestrian
    Women's
  • Fencing
    Women's
  • Field Hockey
    Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Golf
    Men's
  • Gymnastics
    Women's
  • Ice Hockey
    Men's · Women's
  • Lacrosse
    Men's · Women's
  • Other Sports
    Men's · Women's
  • Rowing
    Men's · Women's
  • Sailing
    Women's
  • Soccer
    Men's · Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Squash
    Men's · Women's
  • Swimming and Diving (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Tennis
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
  • Wrestling
    Men's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$87,830
After 10 yrs
$104,043
Computer Science507
Hospitality Administration/Management290
Human Resources Management and Services273
Agricultural Business and Management254
Biology, General254
Computer and Information Sciences, General206
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other176
Economics157
Mechanical Engineering132
Political Science and Government116
Mathematics103
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering100
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services90
Animal Sciences81
Natural Resources Conservation and Research79
Operations Research73
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$10.2B
Full-time faculty
93%
Faculty salary
$17,953/mo
Teaching spend
$33,431
per student
Federal loans
18%
Classification
Carnegie type
Doctoral University
Research activity
R1 — very high research
$1.6B research spending · 537 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, more selective admissions

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