Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Princeton Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern Yale Dartmouth WUSTL| Clarkson University | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Clarkson | Cornell | ||
| Location | Potsdam, NY | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,603 | 26,264 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #183 | #19 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | clarkson.edu | cornell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Clarkson | Cornell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $56,642 | $65,204 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $56,642 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,016 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,192 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $43,097 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 51% |
Admission |
Clarkson | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,347 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 5,669 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 77.2% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.7% | 66% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.8 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 26/31 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1198/1390 | 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 15, 2026 | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
Clarkson | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 9:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Clarkson | Cornell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 72% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $70,800 | $98,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 86% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $12,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $124 |
Diversity |
Clarkson | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 17% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 20% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 84% | 41% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 8% |
Students |
Clarkson | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 65% | 32% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 55% | ||
Campus |
Clarkson | Cornell | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | 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 Clarkson based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 3,603 students)
Clarkson vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Clarkson or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 15.1% more expensive to attend than Clarkson for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $56,642.00)
- Out of state tuition is 15.1% higher at Cornell than Clarkson University ($65,204.00 vs. $56,642.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Clarkson ($26,455 vs. $33,192)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clarkson University are 9% lower than costs at Cornell University ($17,016 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Cornell University (100% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 31.7% larger than aid received Clarkson University ($56,741 vs. $43,097)
Clarkson vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Clarkson or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or Clarkson .
- The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 230 points higher than at Clarkson (1198)
- Incoming Cornell students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Clarkson (27)
- Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Clarkson (3.8)
- Clarkson has a higher acceptance rate (77.2%) than Cornell (8.2%)
Clarkson vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Clarkson 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 Clarkson.
- The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Clarkson University (93% vs. 72%)
- Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $27,600 more per year than Clarkson graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $70,800)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($12,000 vs. $27,000)
- Cornell graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($124 vs. $279)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Clarkson students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/