Bates vs. Cornell

Should I go to Bates College or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bates or Cornell is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Bates College vs. Cornell University comparison
Bates College Cornell University College 3 College 4
Bates College Cornell University
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Overview

 Bates Cornell
Location Lewiston, ME Ithaca, NY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,753 26,264
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bates.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bates Cornell
Tuition (In State) $63,478 $65,204
Tuition (Out of State) $63,478 $65,204
Room & Board $17,904 $18,554
Avg Net Price $26,658 $26,455
Avg Grant Aid $53,782 $56,741
% Receiving Grant Aid 44% 51%

Admission

 Bates Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,937 65,635
Admitted 1,164 5,358
Acceptance Rate 13% 8.2%
Enrolled % 43.4% 66%
Avg High School GPA - 3.9
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/33 33/35
SAT Range 1400/1510 1480/1560
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 1, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

 Bates Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

 Bates Cornell
Graduation Rate 92% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $75,700 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,450 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $124

Diversity

 Bates Cornell
% Men 35% 19%
% Women 36% 20%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 41%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

 Bates Cornell
% In-State 8% 32%
% Out-of-State 80% 55%

Campus

 Bates Cornell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Cornell University is larger than than Bates based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 1,753 students)

Bates vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bates or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 2.7% more expensive to attend than Bates for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $63,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.7% higher at Cornell than Bates College ($65,204.00 vs. $63,478.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Bates ($26,455 vs. $26,658)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bates College are 3.6% lower than costs at Cornell University ($17,904 vs. $18,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than Bates College (51% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 5.5% larger than aid received Bates College ($56,741 vs. $53,782)

Bates vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bates or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or Bates .

  • Bates has a higher acceptance rate (13%) than Cornell (8.2%)

Bates vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bates 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 Bates.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Bates College (93% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $22,700 more per year than Bates graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $75,700)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $2,450 lower median federal student loan debt than Bates graduates. ($12,000 vs. $14,450)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Bates graduates. ($124 vs. $149)
  • More Bates graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 87%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/