Cornell University

www.cornell.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$60,286

2.9% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$24,262

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.47%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

8.69%

67,380 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

25,582

97.8% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

94.1%

2,987 Graduates

About

Cornell University is a higher education institution located in Tompkins County, NY. In 2021, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Cornell University were General Business Administration & Management (548 degrees awarded), Computer Science (231 degrees), and Management Science (193 degrees).

In 2021, 7,952 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Cornell University. 50.2% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 49.8% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,577 degrees), 1.91 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,348 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Cornell University is $60,286, which is $31,294 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by generalising

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Cornell University is $60,286, which is $31,294 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $24,262.

In 2021, 49% of undergraduate students attending Cornell University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 26% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$60,286

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Cornell University was $60,286. The cost of tuition at Cornell University is $31,294 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Cornell University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$24,262

2021 Value

11.8%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Cornell University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $24,262. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Cornell University grew by 11.8%.

This chart compares the average net price of Cornell University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,576

Room and Board

$990

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Cornell University was of $15,576 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 2.16% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $990. The cost of books and supplies increased by 2.06% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Cornell University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

49%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

26%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

49% of undergraduate students at Cornell University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 4.26% with respect to 2020, when 47% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Cornell University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.47%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Cornell University was 0.47%, which represents 12 out of the 2554 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Cornell University received 67,380 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 30.8% annual growth. Out of those 67,380 applicants, 5,852 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 8.69% acceptance rate.

There were 25,582 students enrolled at Cornell University in 2021. 41% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Cornell University has an overall enrollment yield of 63.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

8.69%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

5,852

Accepted Out of 67,380

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Cornell University was 8.69% (5,852 admissions from 67,380 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 10.7%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 30.8%, while admissions grew by 6.13%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Cornell University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

41%

Submission Percentage (2021)

1,517

Scores Submitted (2021)

41% of enrolled first-time students at Cornell University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Cornell University had a total enrollment of 25,582 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Cornell University is 25,008 students and the part-time enrollment is 574. This means that 97.8% of students enrolled at Cornell University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Cornell University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 31.8% White, 17% Asian, 11.2% Hispanic or Latino, 5.73% Black or African American, 4.21% Two or More Races, 0.27% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0899% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Cornell University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (17.1%), followed by White Male (16.8%) and Asian Female (12.6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (14.1%), followed by White Female (13.5%) and Asian Female (4.85%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

97.8%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Cornell University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 25,582 students. The full-time enrollment at Cornell University is 25,008 and the part-time enrollment is 574. This means that 97.8% of students enrolled at Cornell University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Cornell University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

97%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Cornell University was 97%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Cornell University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Cornell University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
8,137 enrolled students
Asian
4,360 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
2,862 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Cornell University is 31.8% White, 17% Asian, 11.2% Hispanic or Latino, 5.73% Black or African American, 4.21% Two or More Races, 0.27% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0899% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,357 students (5.3%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 32 more women than men received degrees from Cornell University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Cornell University is white (2,577 degrees awarded). There were 1.91 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1348 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Cornell University is General Business Administration & Management (548 degrees awarded), followed by Computer Science (231 degrees) and Management Science (193 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Cornell University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Agriculture (538 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (208 degrees), and Engineering (1,430 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cornell University are Software developers (472,971 people), Other managers (409,910 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (360,527 people), Civil engineers (270,308 people), and Postsecondary teachers (216,922 people).

The most specialized majors at Cornell University in 2021 are Agriculture (538 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (208 degrees), Engineering (1,430 degrees), Physical Sciences (258 degrees), and Math & Statistics (236 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cornell University are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Physicians, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Nurse anesthetists

The most specialized majors at Cornell University are Agriculture (538 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (208 degrees), Engineering (1,430 degrees), Physical Sciences (258 degrees), and Math & Statistics (236 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Architectural, engineering & related services

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Cornell University are Architectural, engineering & related services (580,070 people), Computer Systems Design (527,630 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (389,149 people), Construction (331,648 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (246,681 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Cornell University.

Most Common (2021)

Computer Science
488 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
306 degree-majors awarded
Labor & Industrial Relations
251 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Cornell University was Computer Science with 488 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Cornell University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

3,960

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

3,992

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 3,960 degrees were awarded to men at Cornell University, which is 0.992 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,992).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Cornell University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 487 degrees were awarded to men at Cornell University in Computer Science, which is 1.89 times more than the 257 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 257 degrees were awarded to men at Cornell University in Computer Science, which is 0.528 times less than the 487 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

87%

100% Completion Time

95%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 87% of students graduating from Cornell University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 95% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 95% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (96.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Cornell University is Female and Asian (96.7% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 8.5% of graduates (254 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
2,577 degrees awarded
Asian
1,348 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
761 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Cornell University is white (2,577 degrees awarded). There were 1.91 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1348 degrees).

6.29% of degree recipients (500 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Male
1,326 degrees awarded
White Female
1,251 degrees awarded
Asian Female
748 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Cornell University is white male (1,326 degrees awarded). There were 1.06 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1251 degrees).

Operations

Cornell University has an endowment valued at nearly $9.47B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 2.4B (25.3%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, Cornell University had a total salary expenditure of 2.37B. Cornell University employs 748 Professors, 402 Associate professors and 365 Assistant professors. Most academics at Cornell University are Male Professor (535), Male Associate professor (225), and Female Professor (213).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Cornell University are: Office and Administrative Support, with 1,404 employees, Service, with 1,346 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 1,022 employees.

Endowment

$9.47B

2021 Endowment

37.7%

growth from 2020

Cornell University has an endowment valued at about $9.47B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Cornell University grew 37.7% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $9.09B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Cornell University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$350M - Federal
$37.1M - State
$4.76M - Local

As of 2021, Cornell University received $350M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $37.1M from state grants and contracts, and $4.76M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$1.07B

2021 Salaries

1.11%

growth from 2020

In 2021, Cornell University paid a median of $1.07B in salaries, which represents 45.2% of their overall expenditure ($2.37B) and a 1.11% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$279M

Instructional Salaries

1,866

Number of Employees

In 2021, Cornell University paid a total of $279M to 1,866 employees working as instructors, which represents 26% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

748 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1,404 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Cornell University were Professor with 748 employees, Associate professor with 402 employees, and Assistant professor with 365 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Cornell University were Office and Administrative Support with 1,404 employees, Service with 1,346 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 1,022 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Cornell University was Male Professor with 535 employees, Male Associate professor with 225 employees, and Female Professor with 213 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Cornell University.