Mid AtlanticUrbanPrivate4-yearComputer+ Reach

Cornell University

A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones.

Ithaca, NY15,935 students
Acceptance Rate
8%
most selective
Median SAT
1,535
Middle 50%: 1480–1560
Net Price After Aid
$32.3k
Sticker $66.0k
Graduation Rate
95%
6-year, full-time

Cornell University is a private institution in Ithaca, NY with an acceptance rate of 8% and 15,935 students. The middle 50% of admitted students score 1480–1560 on the SAT. The average net price after financial aid is $32,337 per year.

About Cornell University

A private 4-year urban university in Ithaca, NY.

Cornell University is a college in Ithaca, NY. It enrolls roughly 15,935 students. The most recent acceptance rate is 8%. Admitted students typically score between 1480 and 1560 on the SAT.

Mid AtlanticUrbanPrivate4-yearComputer
Acceptance Rate
8%
Most Selective
Total Enrollment
15,935
Large
Retention
98%
First-years returning
Graduation Rate
95%
6-year, full-time

Your chances at this school

A clear-eyed view of how your profile compares to admitted students — and the things that would move your odds the most.

Acceptance Rate
8%
8 of every 100 applicants admitted
Your Chances
Sign in to see your personalized probability.
Admitted Student GPA

Cornell University is a reach school for the average admitted student profile. A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones. Here is what would make your application as competitive as possible.

Things that would move your odds the most

  1. Aim for an SAT of 1480+
    Hitting the 25th percentile puts you in the competitive range for admitted students.
  2. Build a single deep extracurricular peak
    Depth beats breadth at selective schools — one nationally-visible accomplishment outperforms ten clubs.
  3. Strengthen one teacher recommendation
    A specific, personal letter from a teacher who knows your work moves the needle.

Probability is based on a model trained on historical admissions data. It is a guide, not a guarantee. Admissions decisions weigh essays, recommendations, and fit factors that aren't in the data.

Admissions

What it actually takes to get into Cornell University. Test scores, GPA, application requirements, and deadlines.

Admitted student profile

Range shown is the middle 50%.

SAT
composite, 1600 scale
1,4801,560
1,535
average
ACT
composite, 36 scale
3335
34
average
GPA
weighted, 4.5 max

Cost & financial aid

Published costs can be misleading. Here's what families actually pay at Cornell University after grants and scholarships.

Sticker price
Tuition $66,014
Average net price after aid
$32,337
After grants and scholarships

Net price by family income

Average amount paid out of pocket — tuition, fees, and room & board minus all grant aid.

$0 – $30,000
$4,079
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,589
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,129
$75,001 – $110,000
N/A
$110,001 +
$51,735

Net price represents the average cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal financial aid.

Pell Grant Recipients
18%
Need-based federal grant
Take Federal Loans
24%
Avg loan $13,000 / year
Avg Grant Aid
Per receiving student / year

Academics & majors

Where students at Cornell University concentrate, and how the classroom experience scales.

Student : Faculty
Class-size proxy
Primary Focus
Computer
17% of degrees awarded
Retention
98%
First-years returning
A breakdown of the top majors by share of degrees awarded ships once we finish backfilling per-school program data.

Student body

Who attends Cornell University. Enrollment, diversity, and where students come from.

Race & ethnicity

  • White35%
  • Asian28%
  • Hispanic17%
  • Black8%
  • International11%

Gender

  • Female53%
  • Male47%
International
10%
Of total enrollment
Live on Campus
Undergraduate residential rate
Total Enrollment
15,935

Outcomes after graduation

What Cornell University graduates do next — and what they earn.

Median Earnings
$104k
10 years after enrollment
Employed at 2 yrs
Working or in grad school
Pursue Grad School
Within 5 years
Graduation Rate
95%
6-year, full-time

What this means

$104k is well above the national bachelor's-graduate median at the 10-year mark, and a 95% graduation rate puts Cornell University in the top tier nationally.

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