BU vs. Cornell

Should I go to Boston University or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BU 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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Boston University vs. Cornell University comparison
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Boston University Cornell University
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Overview

BU Cornell
Location Boston, MA Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 36,714 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Cornell
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $62,456
Room & Board $17,400 $16,988
Avg Net Price $27,829 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 51%

Admission

BU Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 69,195
Admitted 11,607 5,168
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 7.5%
Enrolled % 31.3% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 33/35
SAT Range 1350/1500 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 4, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

BU Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

BU Cornell
Graduation Rate 85% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $124

Diversity

BU Cornell
% Men 43% 47%
% Women 57% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 41%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 20% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

BU Cornell
% In-State 14% 33%
% Out-of-State 61% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 25,898 students)

BU vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 2.3% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.3% higher at Cornell than Boston University ($62,456.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than BU ($26,060 vs. $27,829)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 2.4% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,988 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than Boston University (51% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 5.1% larger than aid received Boston University ($54,219 vs. $51,565)

BU vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 125 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than Cornell (7.5%)

BU vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU 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 BU.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Boston University (93% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $26,400 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $72,000)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($12,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($124 vs. $279)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)

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