Cornell University
Private nonprofit four-year university in Ithaca, NY that costs an average of $33,934 a year after financial aid, admits 8.8% of applicants and graduates 95% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$33,934
Acceptance rate
8.8%
Graduation rate
95%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$113,531
Private nonprofitSmall city15,995 undergraduates
Cost of Cornell University
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $92,093 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $72,270 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $20,574 |
| Books and supplies | $1,216 |
| Average net price after aid | $33,934 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $6,371 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $6,152 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $6,797 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $13,422 |
| $110,001+ | $55,935 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships. Get your own estimate with Cornell University's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 8.8% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,535 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 730–770 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 770–800 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 33–35 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 95% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 98% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $97,242 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $113,531 |
| Rank in New York (earnings) | 4th of 140 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $12,000 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $136 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 22% |
| Students with federal loans | 20% |
Majors and programs at Cornell University
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (81)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 1,034 | $151,551 | $12,500 |
| Mathematics | 213 | $114,798 | $11,235 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 177 | $110,607 | $12,750 |
| Operations Research | 141 | $102,318 | $13,500 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 499 | $101,659 | $13,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 476 | $100,205 | $12,449 |
| Statistics | 66 | $95,495 | $15,572 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 284 | $93,525 | $14,163 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 561 | $92,126 | $10,883 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 118 | $91,332 | $12,696 |
| Chemical Engineering | 76 | $90,501 | $13,500 |
| Economics | 324 | $90,181 | $12,500 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 99 | $81,507 | $16,962 |
| Civil Engineering | 69 | $78,367 | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 27 | $74,548 | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 559 | $74,192 | $12,000 |
| Sociology | 90 | $70,733 | $10,250 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 139 | $69,892 | $16,508 |
| Food Science and Technology | 58 | $66,519 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 142 | $63,499 | $10,000 |
| Political Science and Government | 239 | $62,009 | $11,720 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 59 | $61,084 | $8,000 |
| Apparel and Textiles | 53 | $60,834 | — |
| Agriculture | 113 | $55,055 | $10,500 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 35 | $53,990 | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 90 | $50,055 | $10,291 |
| History | 57 | $49,183 | — |
| English Language and Literature | 80 | $47,541 | $14,394 |
| Chemistry | 88 | $47,020 | $11,351 |
| Area Studies | 64 | $45,914 | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 259 | $44,061 | $8,567 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 183 | $43,280 | $12,500 |
| Psychology | 149 | $43,156 | $12,500 |
| Biology | 531 | $42,665 | $12,500 |
| Animal Sciences | 149 | $38,582 | $11,146 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 69 | $37,201 | $12,000 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 41 | $25,278 | — |
| Anthropology | 12 | — | — |
| Archeology | 9 | — | — |
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | — | — | — |
| Architecture | — | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 20 | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 16 | — | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 26 | — | — |
| Biological/Biosystems Engineering | 24 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 64 | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 55 | — | $9,750 |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 18 | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 3 | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | — | — | — |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Dance | — | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | — | — | — |
| Education | — | — | — |
| Engineering | 10 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 49 | — | — |
| Environmental Design | — | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 18 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | — | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 35 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Human Biology | 100 | — | $12,447 |
| International Agriculture | 25 | — | — |
| Landscape Architecture | 19 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 43 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 42 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Music | 17 | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 51 | — | $13,500 |
| Philosophy | 52 | — | — |
| Physics | 93 | — | $10,000 |
| Plant Sciences | 40 | — | $8,604 |
| Public Health | 61 | — | $13,520 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 62 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 12 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | 19 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 15 | — | — |
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (2)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | — | — | — |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (99)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 1,111 | $196,713 | $143,214 |
| Computer Science | 602 | $175,401 | $36,706 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 166 | $161,226 | $93,791 |
| Real Estate | 55 | $144,319 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 317 | $136,971 | $62,500 |
| Operations Research | 312 | $130,294 | $41,000 |
| Systems Engineering | 248 | $127,771 | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 147 | $117,795 | $66,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 330 | $117,684 | $41,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 179 | $112,830 | $20,500 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 178 | $112,732 | $36,783 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 189 | $105,720 | $45,159 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 49 | $100,632 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 835 | $96,697 | $57,815 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 165 | $90,501 | $71,071 |
| Civil Engineering | 89 | $88,428 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 188 | $86,865 | $44,556 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | — | $82,512 | — |
| Public Administration | 259 | $81,852 | $69,125 |
| Economics | 132 | $71,347 | — |
| Public Health | 102 | $71,140 | $74,275 |
| Agriculture | 71 | $69,721 | $30,680 |
| Landscape Architecture | 59 | $68,242 | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 148 | $65,346 | $120,769 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | — | — | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 31 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | — | — | $175,386 |
| Animal Sciences | 15 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 13 | — | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | — | — | — |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | — | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 14 | — | — |
| Archeology | 13 | — | — |
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | 1 | — | — |
| Architecture | — | — | — |
| Architecture and Related Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Area Studies | 17 | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 9 | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 1 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 4 | — | — |
| Biology | 1 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | — | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 5 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 87 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 78 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 12 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 7 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 10 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 6 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 4 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | — | — | — |
| Education | — | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | 2 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 38 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 21 | — | — |
| Environmental Design | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | — | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 8 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 63 | — | — |
| Genetics | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 8 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | — | — | $115,374 |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | 8 | — | — |
| History | 8 | — | — |
| Housing and Human Environments | — | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 8 | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 5 | — | — |
| International Agriculture | — | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 15 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 398 | — | $46,509 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 15 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 91 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 30 | — | — |
| Medieval and Renaissance Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 15 | — | — |
| Music | 10 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 15 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | — | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 12 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | 11 | — | — |
| Physics | 43 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 31 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 19 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | — | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 35 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 14 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 14 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 4 | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | 9 | — | — |
| Sociology | 18 | — | — |
| Statistics | 138 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 100 | — | $41,000 |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 2 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (82)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | — | $221,831 | $163,440 |
| Veterinary Medicine | — | $107,057 | $157,950 |
| Chemistry | 58 | $100,215 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 11 | — | — |
| Agricultural Business and Management | — | — | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 11 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 14 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 8 | — | — |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | — | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 10 | — | — |
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | 3 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 8 | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 14 | — | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 1 | — | — |
| Behavioral Sciences | 7 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 43 | — | — |
| Biology | 34 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 8 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 33 | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 13 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 15 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 28 | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 5 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 16 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 10 | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 2 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 22 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 61 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 7 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 7 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 4 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 20 | — | — |
| Economics | 42 | — | — |
| Education | — | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 47 | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | 4 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 17 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 20 | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | — | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 3 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 48 | — | — |
| Genetics | 24 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 4 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| History | 12 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 1 | — | — |
| Housing and Human Environments | — | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 7 | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 1 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | — | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 15 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 15 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 18 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 49 | — | — |
| Medieval and Renaissance Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 12 | — | — |
| Music | 3 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 13 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 7 | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | — | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 16 | — | — |
| Operations Research | 22 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | 12 | — | — |
| Physics | 45 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 30 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 16 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 6 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | — | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 19 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 13 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 1 | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | 4 | — | — |
| Sociology | 18 | — | — |
| Statistics | 9 | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 10 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 12 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (5)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 370 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Medicine | — | — | $84,080 |
| Music | 7 | — | — |
| Veterinary Medicine | 236 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in New York
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | $43,336 | 46% | $85,054 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester | $37,405 | 67% | $84,700 |
| Excelsior University | Albany | — | — | $81,471 |
| Fordham University | Bronx | $42,760 | 59% | $92,809 |
| St. John's University-New York | Queens | $24,508 | 83% | $77,281 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | $15,370 | 4.0% | $109,430 |
| New York University | New York | $35,737 | 9.2% | $90,957 |
| Pace University | New York | $30,721 | 76% | $77,411 |
About Cornell University
| Type | Private nonprofit four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Ithaca, NY |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 15,995 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 9 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Website | cornell.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Cornell University's acceptance rate?
Cornell University admits 8.8% of applicants, making it highly selective. Admitted students average 1,535 on the SAT.
How much does Cornell University cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $92,093 a year (tuition and fees: $72,270). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $33,934 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $6,371.
How much do Cornell University graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $113,531 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 4th of 140 similar colleges in New York. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer science ($151,551 a year after graduation).
What is Cornell University's graduation rate?
95% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 98% of first-year students return for a second year.