Clarkson vs. Cornell

Should I go to Clarkson University or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Clarkson 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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Clarkson University vs. Cornell University comparison
Clarkson University Cornell University College 3 College 4
Clarkson University Cornell University
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Overview

Clarkson Cornell
Location Potsdam, NY Ithaca, NY
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 3,719 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #220 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarkson.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Clarkson Cornell
Tuition (In State) $54,960 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $54,960 $62,456
Room & Board $16,744 $16,988
Avg Net Price $32,450 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $41,285 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 51%

Admission

Clarkson Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,594 69,195
Admitted 5,171 5,168
Acceptance Rate 78.4% 7.5%
Enrolled % 11.5% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 25/30 33/35
SAT Range 1190/1370 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

Clarkson Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

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 64% 47%
% Women 36% 53%
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% 33%
% Out-of-State 31% 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 (25,898 students vs. 3,719 students)

Clarkson vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Clarkson or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 13.6% more expensive to attend than Clarkson for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $54,960.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at Cornell than Clarkson University ($62,456.00 vs. $54,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Clarkson ($26,060 vs. $32,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clarkson University are 1.5% lower than costs at Cornell University ($16,744 vs. $16,988)
  • 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 31.3% larger than aid received Clarkson University ($54,219 vs. $41,285)

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 (78.4%) than Cornell (7.5%)

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/