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Northeastern BC NYU Princeton Georgetown Penn Babson Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Tufts| Boston University | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
BU | Cornell | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 36,624 | 26,264 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #77 | #19 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bu.edu | cornell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BU | Cornell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,798 | $65,204 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,798 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,110 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,551 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $55,080 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 51% |
Admission |
BU | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 80,495 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 8,733 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 10.8% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36% | 66% | ||
| 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 | 32/34 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1400/1520 | 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 4, 2026 | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
BU | Cornell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 9:1 | ||
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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 | 21% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 28% | 20% | ||
| 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% | 32% | ||
| % 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 (36,624 students vs. 26,264 students)
BU vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BU or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 2.2% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $63,798.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Cornell than Boston University ($65,204.00 vs. $63,798.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than BU ($26,455 vs. $27,551)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 2.5% lower than costs at Cornell University ($18,110 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than Boston University (51% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 3% larger than aid received Boston University ($56,741 vs. $55,080)
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 (10.8%) than Cornell (8.2%)
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/