Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
George Washington Princeton Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern Yale Dartmouth| American University | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
AU | Cornell | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 13,885 | 25,898 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #93 | #19 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | american.edu | cornell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
AU | Cornell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $53,070 | $62,456 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $53,070 | $62,456 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,706 | $16,988 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $41,369 | $26,060 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,138 | $54,219 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 66% | 51% |
Admission |
AU | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,510 | 69,195 | ||
| Admitted | 7,926 | 5,168 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 40.6% | 7.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.2% | 67.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 29/32 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1290/1430 | 1470/1570 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2025 | Jan 2, 2025 |
Academics |
AU | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 9:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
AU | Cornell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $64,800 | $98,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 80% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $12,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $124 |
Diversity |
AU | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 41% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 8% |
Students |
AU | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 2% | 33% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 94% | 55% | ||
Campus |
AU | Cornell | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Cornell University is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 13,885 students)
AU vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, AU or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 17.7% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $53,070.00)
- Out of state tuition is 17.7% higher at Cornell than American University ($62,456.00 vs. $53,070.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than AU ($26,060 vs. $41,369)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 8.2% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,706 vs. $16,988)
- More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Cornell University (66% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 99.8% larger than aid received American University ($54,219 vs. $27,138)
AU vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, AU or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or AU .
- The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 176 points higher than at AU (1252)
- Incoming Cornell students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at AU (28)
- Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at AU (3.7)
- AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than Cornell (7.5%)
AU vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, AU or Cornell? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cornell and AU.
- The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than American University (93% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $33,600 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $64,800)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $12,250 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($12,000 vs. $24,250)
- Cornell graduates are paying $126 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($124 vs. $250)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/