Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofit8.8%
Acceptance rate
1,520
SAT Average
$32,337
Avg net price
15,935
Enrollment
| All fields, 2024-25Bachelor’s 4,187Master’s 4,015Doctoral 952 |
| Bachelor’s 789Master’s 707Doctoral 54 |
| Bachelor’s 618Master’s 940Doctoral 161 |
| Bachelor’s 477Master’s 1,153Doctoral 18 |
| Bachelor’s 444Master’s 85Doctoral 161 |
| Bachelor’s 413Master’s 16Doctoral 91 |
| Bachelor’s 325Master’s 128Doctoral 60 |
| Bachelor’s 161Master’s 24Doctoral 9 |
| Bachelor’s 157Master’s 72Doctoral 22 |
| Bachelor’s 119Master’s 97Doctoral 8 |
| Bachelor’s 110Master’s 13Doctoral 8 |
| Bachelor’s 99Master’s 66Doctoral 73 |
| Bachelor’s 87Master’s 119Doctoral 29 |
| Bachelor’s 69Master’s 6Doctoral 3 |
| Bachelor’s 58Master’s 18Doctoral 15 |
| Bachelor’s 56Master’s 120Doctoral 3 |
| Bachelor’s 32Master’s 17Doctoral 18 |
| Bachelor’s 32Master’s 12Doctoral 2 |
| Bachelor’s 30Master’s 5Doctoral 0 |
| Bachelor’s 27Master’s 103Doctoral None reported |
| Bachelor’s 27Master’s 1Doctoral 8 |
| Bachelor’s 23Master’s 11Doctoral 7 |
| Bachelor’s 21Master’s 5Doctoral 2 |
| Bachelor’s 13Master’s None reportedDoctoral None reported |
| Bachelor’s 0Master’s None reportedDoctoral None reported |
| Bachelor’s 0Master’s 0Doctoral 0 |
| Bachelor’s None reportedMaster’s 199Doctoral 199 |
| Bachelor’s None reportedMaster’s 98Doctoral 1 |
NCAA program details
- Primary division
- Division I
- Primary conference
- The Ivy League
Projected sponsored sports29
Athletic participation
1,150 unique student-athletes · 31 varsity teams
Early Decision
Binding · 2027-28 CSS Profile application, Aid application deadline for international students due Nov 1 · 2027-28 CSS Profile and FAFSA, Priority aid application date for domestic students due Nov 15
Regular Decision
2027-28 CSS Profile application, Aid application deadline for international students due Jan 2 · 2027-28 CSS Profile and FAFSA, Priority aid application date for domestic students due Feb 15
· Apply with Common App
Published on-campus price, 2024–25
- Tuition
- $68,380
- Required fees
- $934
- Food and housing
- $19,428
- Books and supplies
- $1,226
- Other expenses
- $2,182
- Total
- $92,150
- $76,2582019–2019–20
- $78,9922020–2120–21
- $80,2872021–2221–22
- $83,1962022–2322–23
- $88,1402023–2423–24
- $92,1502024–2524–25
Net price by family income, 2022–23
Students of all incomes paid $32,337 on average. Grants and scholarships covered the rest of the cost.
Net price covers first-time, full-time students who received federal aid.
Need-based aid, 2025–26
- First-years with need-based aid
- 46%
- Average share of need met
- 100%
- Average need-based grant
- $63,023
- Required forms
- FAFSA, CSS Profile, and CSS Noncustodial Profile
Sources
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics · National Center for Education Statistics · 2025–26
- IPEDS Admissions · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024–25
- College Scorecard · U.S. Department of Education · 2025-10-03
- Application process · College websites · 2026–27
- NCAA Projected Sports Sponsorship by School · National Collegiate Athletic Association · 2025–26
- Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act · U.S. Department of Education · 2024–25
- Common Data Set · Reporting institutions · 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26
- IPEDS Completions · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024–25
- IPEDS Student Charges · National Center for Education Statistics · 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
Every figure below is read directly from Cornell University’s own reported data, with no scores, ratings, or estimates added. Derived from 5 Common Data Set filings (2021–22 to 2025–26).
Cornell University admitted of applicants, a admit rate. Of those, enrolled, a yield, across 5 years of Common Data Set filings.
Cornell University runs one binding Early Decision round.
The enrolled class is roughly international, and about of its domestic students come from out of state. Cornell University admits in-state applicants at 13.3%, out-of-state applicants at 9%, and international applicants at 3.6%.
Enrolled first-years by geography
3,827 first-years
Admit odds by pool
Test scores are required. SAT or ACT scores must arrive by Jan 2. Of enrolled first-years, submitted an SAT and an ACT, down from 19.8% in 2021–22.
Some students submit both an SAT and an ACT, so the two shares overlap. They don’t add up to a single “submitted a test” rate.
SAT composite
43% of the class submitted an SAT
Middle 50%
Shape smoothed from reported percentiles and score bands
ACT composite
13% of the class submitted an ACT
Middle 50%
Shape smoothed from reported percentiles and score bands
ranked in the top tenth of their high-school class, among the 12.2% who submitted class rank.
High-school class rank
Among the 12.2% of first-years who submitted class rank. Shares are cumulative — students in the top tenth also count in the top quarter and top half.
Cornell University rates 6 factors "very important." Each column reads strongest first.
Academic
- Rigor of secondary school record
- Very important
- Application essay
- Very important
- Recommendation(s)
- Very important
- Class rank
- Important
- Academic GPA
- Important
- Standardized test scores
- Considered
Nonacademic
- Extracurricular activities
- Very important
- Talent / ability
- Very important
- Character / personal qualities
- Very important
- Interview
- Considered
- First generation
- Considered
- Alumni/ae relation
- Considered
- Geographical residence
- Considered
- State residency
- Considered
- Volunteer work
- Considered
- Work experience
- Considered
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Not considered
- Level of applicant's interest
- Not considered
Cornell University leaves 2 Common Data Set answers blank — each one hidden below with what it would tell you.
Without the GPA spread, a family can’t see where their transcript lands within the class.
Without the average GPA, there’s no single midpoint to place a transcript against.
Does disclose: SAT / ACT score bands (C9) · Admissions factor grid (C7) · Early Decision applicants & admits (C21) · Students admitted off the waitlist (C2)
Cornell University’s sticker drops once grant aid is applied, and what a family actually pays depends on income. of first-years received need-based aid; a family with no aid pays the full sticker. The school meets of demonstrated need, split into .
What aid recipients pay, by income
net price
Bars read against the $97,552 sticker. Each figure averages only families who received federal aid in that income band (College Scorecard); $32,337 across all aid recipients. Aid share: 1,744 of 3,827 first-years in the 2025–26 Common Data Set.
How need-based aid is determined
Cost of attendance − expected family contribution = demonstrated need
Forms a family files to be considered
What that meant in 2025–26
Cost of attendance $97,552
Averages among the 1,744 first-years awarded need-based aid.
Merit aid reached of the class, or of enrolled first-years. For international applicants, Cornell University offers need-based aid only (no merit for nonresidents): nonresidents received aid, averaging .
Cornell University admitted students off the waitlist, about of the class.
97.8% of Cornell University’s first-years return for a second year and 95.1% graduate within six. Median earnings ten years out are against of median federal debt, roughly a earnings-to-debt ratio.
Sources
- Common Data Set · Reporting institutions · 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26
- College Scorecard · U.S. Department of Education · 2025-10-03