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Cornell University

Cornell University reports 15,995 undergraduates in Ithaca, NY. Its federal reporting group is labeled Cornell University. The federal record identifies it as a land-grant institution.

Check the campus and reporting scope

Cornell University · Ithaca, New York · Federal institution ID (UNITID): 190415.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Cornell University).

Shared outcomes cannot rank campuses. Reporting-group definitions.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$4,079

family income
under $30k

$5,589

$30–48k

$8,129

$48–75k

$18,531

$75–110k

$51,735

over $110k

Average net price

$28,6902023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Cornell University rose from $23,617 (2008) to $28,690 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$23,617
2009	$23,478
2010	$25,243
2011	$24,073
2012	$26,484
2013	$29,240
2014	$29,711
2015	$30,498
2016	$31,230
2017	$30,494
2018	$40,126
2019	$37,042
2020	$29,011
2021	$29,651
2022	$32,337
2023	$28,690

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$88,1402024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Cornell University rose from $50,384 (2009) to $88,140 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$50,384
2010	$52,406
2011	$54,667
2012	$57,116
2013	$59,572
2014	$61,608
2015	$63,596
2016	$65,464
2017	$67,613
2018	$70,301
2019	$73,879
2020	$75,204
2021	$77,047
2022	$80,278
2023	$83,196
2024	$88,140

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2000	$24,850
2001	$26,062
2002	$27,394
2003	$28,754
2004	$30,167
2005	$31,467
2006	$32,981
2007	$34,781
2008	$36,504
2013	$45,358
2014	$47,286
2015	$49,116
2016	$50,953
2017	$52,853
2018	$55,188
2019	$57,222
2020	$59,282
2021	$61,015
2022	$63,200
2023	$66,014

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Reported tuition is $69,314 before grants and other attendance costs. At Cornell University, aid and other costs change the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

Cornell University is a big school: 15,995 undergraduates at last count.

95.4% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Cornell University within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

95.4%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Cornell University has held near 95.4% from Fall 1991 to Fall 2018 entering cohorts.

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	89.7%
1992 cohort	90.9%
1993 cohort	91.1%
1994 cohort	89.8%
1995 cohort	89.1%
1996 cohort	87.9%
1997 cohort	91.9%
1998 cohort	92.4%
1999 cohort	92.6%
2000 cohort	91.9%
2001 cohort	91.8%
2002 cohort	92.9%
2003 cohort	91.9%
2004 cohort	92.8%
2005 cohort	93.5%
2006 cohort	93.3%
2007 cohort	93.3%
2008 cohort	93.2%
2009 cohort	93.5%
2010 cohort	93.9%
2011 cohort	93.4%
2012 cohort	94.5%
2013 cohort	94.5%
2014 cohort	95.4%
2015 cohort	94.1%
2016 cohort	95.3%
2017 cohort	95.1%
2018 cohort	95.4%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Cornell University).

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	—	$13,703
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	—	$14,020
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	—	$14,227
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	—	$13,750
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	—	$12,980
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$13,600	$11,953
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$13,750	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$14,202	$7,047
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$13,750	$6,364
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$13,212	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$12,917	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$11,750	$5,881
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$10,662	$6,359
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$10,000	$7,125
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$10,732	$6,432
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$11,802	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$11,750	$5,660
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$11,660	$6,598
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$12,000	$7,500
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$12,742	$8,500
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$14,000	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$14,661	$6,750
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$14,500	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$14,000	$6,934

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$87,830

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$97,098

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$104,043

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years. Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Cornell University).

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Cornell University admitted 5,516 of 62,993 applicants in Fall 2024. The 8.8% rate describes that application pool.

8.8%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $66,014 tuition · 2023–24 15,995 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 1500–15701600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Cornell University received 62,993 applications and admitted 5,516 (8.8%), with 3,525 enrolling.

Cornell University reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For Cornell University’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 730–770 and Math was 770–800 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 1500–1570 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	730	750	770
SAT Math	770	790	800
ACT Composite	33	34	35

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

Acceptance rate

8.8%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Read Cornell University's change from 25.9% to 8.8% as a share of applications, not an explanation of admissions decisions. This describes Fall 2001 to Fall 2024.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	25.9%
Fall 2002	28%
Fall 2003	31%
Fall 2004	29.4%
Fall 2005	27.1%
Fall 2006	24.7%
Fall 2007	21.4%
Fall 2008	20.7%
Fall 2009	19.1%
Fall 2010	18.4%
Fall 2011	18%
Fall 2012	16.6%
Fall 2013	15.6%
Fall 2014	14.2%
Fall 2015	15.1%
Fall 2016	14.1%
Fall 2017	12.7%
Fall 2018	10.6%
Fall 2019	10.8%
Fall 2020	10.7%
Fall 2021	8.7%
Fall 2022	7.5%
Fall 2023	8.2%
Fall 2024	8.8%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

1500–1570Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	1300	1500
Fall 2002	1300	1500
Fall 2003	1340	1410
Fall 2004	1290	1490
Fall 2005	1290	1480
Fall 2006	1280	1490
Fall 2007	1290	1500
Fall 2008	1300	1500
Fall 2009	1290	1500
Fall 2010	1300	1500
Fall 2011	1300	1500
Fall 2012	1310	1520
Fall 2013	1320	1520
Fall 2014	1330	1510
Fall 2015	1330	1530
Fall 2016	1330	1530
Fall 2017	1390	1550
Fall 2018	1390	1540
Fall 2019	1400	1560
Fall 2020	1400	1540
Fall 2021	1450	1560
Fall 2022	1470	1570
Fall 2023	1480	1560
Fall 2024	1500	1570

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

33–35Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	27	31
Fall 2002	25	31
Fall 2003	27	32
Fall 2004	28	32
Fall 2005	28	32
Fall 2006	28	32
Fall 2007	28	32
Fall 2008	29	33
Fall 2009	29	33
Fall 2010	29	33
Fall 2011	29	33
Fall 2012	30	33
Fall 2013	30	34
Fall 2014	30	34
Fall 2015	30	34
Fall 2016	31	34
Fall 2017	31	34
Fall 2018	32	34
Fall 2019	32	35
Fall 2020	32	35
Fall 2021	33	35
Fall 2022	33	35
Fall 2023	33	35
Fall 2024	33	35

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

15,995Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Cornell University rose from 8,493 (Fall 2002) to 15,995 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	8,493
Fall 2003	13,616
Fall 2004	13,577
Fall 2005	13,474
Fall 2006	13,523
Fall 2007	13,455
Fall 2008	13,772
Fall 2009	13,882
Fall 2010	13,885
Fall 2011	14,108
Fall 2012	14,186
Fall 2013	14,309
Fall 2014	14,195
Fall 2015	14,226
Fall 2016	14,471
Fall 2017	14,815
Fall 2018	15,105
Fall 2019	14,976
Fall 2020	14,741
Fall 2021	15,451
Fall 2022	15,676
Fall 2023	15,935
Fall 2024	15,995

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

98%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Cornell University has held near 98% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	96%
Fall 2003 cohort	96%
Fall 2004 cohort	96%
Fall 2005 cohort	97%
Fall 2006 cohort	96%
Fall 2007 cohort	96%
Fall 2008 cohort	96%
Fall 2009 cohort	96%
Fall 2010 cohort	97%
Fall 2011 cohort	96%
Fall 2012 cohort	97%
Fall 2013 cohort	97%
Fall 2014 cohort	97%
Fall 2015 cohort	97%
Fall 2016 cohort	97%
Fall 2017 cohort	97%
Fall 2018 cohort	97%
Fall 2019 cohort	96%
Fall 2020 cohort	97%
Fall 2021 cohort	97%
Fall 2022 cohort	98%
Fall 2023 cohort	98%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about Cornell University

18.4% of Cornell University's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes Cornell University as a primarily residential campus of 15,995 undergraduates — and 98.4% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Cornell University's SAT section-percentile sums are 1500–1570 — their midpoint is above the NY four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on Cornell University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Cornell University compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Cornell University8.8%

New York median70.1%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Cornell University$69,314

New York median$17,408

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Cornell University's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Cornell University).

Cornell University reporting group (shared)$104,043

New York median$60,236

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Cornell University, New York and national reference values
Metric & basis	Cornell University	New York median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	8.8%	70.1%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$69,314	$17,408	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$104,043Shared group value	$60,236	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Cornell University, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Cornell University federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 40 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Computer Science	$223,309
Operations Research	$151,709
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	$147,241
Agricultural Business and Management	$145,218
Computer and Information Sciences, General	$144,389
Economics	$137,935
Mathematics	$134,455
Engineering, General	$128,207
Public Policy Analysis	$126,767
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	$124,242
Physics	$118,649
Chemical Engineering	$116,165
Human Resources Management and Services	$112,713
Hospitality Administration/Management	$112,289
Mechanical Engineering	$112,212
Statistics	$111,090
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	$103,016
Agricultural Engineering	$99,600
Area Studies	$96,976
Political Science and Government	$95,391
Apparel and Textiles	$94,967
Civil Engineering	$91,242
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	$89,275
Communication and Media Studies	$88,463
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other	$85,883
Food Science and Technology	$84,147
History	$82,031
Chemistry	$79,311
Psychology, General	$78,049
Sociology	$73,200
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services	$73,066
Architectural Sciences and Technology	$71,914
Biology, General	$69,083
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	$68,088
Agriculture, General	$67,954
English Language and Literature, General	$65,089
Nutrition Sciences	$60,728
Plant Sciences	$58,960
Animal Sciences	$52,967
Fine and Studio Arts	$41,784

These 40 fields listed for Cornell University measure earnings after completion. The $104,043 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 39 additional Cornell University fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules. Debt and earnings figures are shared across campuses in the federal reporting group (Cornell University).

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Cornell University report?

Cornell University's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 1500–1570 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is Cornell University's acceptance rate?

8.8% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 5,516 admitted from 62,993 applicants.

How much does Cornell University cost?

At Cornell University, tuition is $69,314. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does Cornell University report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $104,043. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in New York

Columbia University in the City of New York — 4% admitted
Colgate University — 13.9% admitted
Circle in the Square Theatre School — 8% admitted
Hamilton College — 13.6% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.