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Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private · Small city · Carnegie R1/R2

Private institution in Ithaca, NY · 15,935 undergraduates · 8% acceptance rate · $104,043 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price
$32,3371,799th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees
$66,0142,020th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees
$66,0142,020th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance
$83,1961,957th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt
$14,000268th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$104,04325th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$87,83032nd highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year)
95.1%38th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention
97.8%68th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate
8.2%26th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT
152023rd highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT
349th highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates
15,935156th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio
9.0:1304th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share
18.2%1,813th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 170 mi (EWR)

On 20 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

Common App member
Yes
Application fee
$85
Personal essay
Required
Writing supplement
Yes

Supplemental prompts (2025-26)

  • We all contribute to, and are influenced by, the communities that are meaningful to us. Share how you’ve been shaped by one of the communities you belong to.
  • Remember that this essay is about you and your lived experience. Define community in the way that is most meaningful to you. Some examples of community you might choose from are: family, school, shared interest, virtual, local, global, cultural.

Source: IvyWise 2025-26 Common App supplements

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Admitted class profile (Fall 2024 entering class (Class of 2028); geography from Class of 2029)

SAT composite (median)
1540
ACT composite (median)
34
Top 10% of high-school class
85.6%
States represented
50
First-generation
18%

Sources: api.collegedata.fyi, alumni.cornell.edu

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 79 reported programs.

FieldLevel1 yr2 yr
Computer Sciencebachelors$129,394$122,485
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$97,604$92,277
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Sciencebachelors$95,376$82,641
Operations ResearchEngineeringbachelors$87,377$85,538
StatisticsMathematics & Statisticsbachelors$84,653—
MathematicsMathematics & Statisticsbachelors$80,336$91,211
Agricultural Business and ManagementAgriculturebachelors$78,107$80,747
Mechanical EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$77,213$74,687
EconomicsSocial Sciencesbachelors$76,460$69,948
Engineering PhysicsEngineeringbachelors$75,889—
Materials EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$73,949$68,778
Civil EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$71,854$73,321

Campus facts

Athletics — 21 sports

NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.

Notable alumni

Illustrative alumni only — not exhaustive and not a quality ranking. Affiliation claims cite Wikipedia/Wikidata; confirm on primary bios before relying on them.

Campus news