Cornell College vs. SU

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

 Cornell College SU
Location Mount Vernon, IA Georgetown, TX
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,073 1,483
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #424 #187
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornellcollege.edu southwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cornell College SU
Tuition (In State) $48,514 $48,450
Tuition (Out of State) $48,514 $48,450
Room & Board $10,872 $12,300
Avg Net Price $25,686 $31,014
Avg Grant Aid $38,069 $30,609
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 Cornell College SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,057 5,557
Admitted 2,425 2,489
Acceptance Rate 79.3% 44.8%
Enrolled % 13.6% 17.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 24/30
SAT Range 1170/1380 1120/1355
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Cornell College SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 Cornell College SU
Graduation Rate 70% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,400 $57,400
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,893
Median Loan Payment $279 $278

Diversity

 Cornell College SU
% Men 52% 46%
% Women 48% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 62%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 22%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 Cornell College SU
% In-State 30% 84%
% Out-of-State 67% 13%

Campus

 Cornell College SU
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

  • Southwestern University is larger than than Cornell College based on total student enrollment (1,483 students vs. 1,073 students)

Cornell College vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell College or SU?

  • Cornell College is 0.1% more expensive to attend than SU for in-state tuition ($48,514.00 vs. $48,450.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at Cornell College than Southwestern University ($48,514.00 vs. $48,450.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell College than SU ($25,686 vs. $31,014)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell College are 13.1% lower than costs at Southwestern University ($10,872 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell College than Southwestern University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell College students is 24.4% larger than aid received Southwestern University ($38,069 vs. $30,609)

Cornell College vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell College (1177) is 9 points higher than at SU (1168)
  • Incoming Cornell College students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at SU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at SU (3.5)
  • Cornell College has a higher acceptance rate (79.3%) than SU (44.8%)

Cornell College vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell College or SU? 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 SU and Cornell College.

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than Cornell College (73% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Southwestern University earn on average $12,000 more per year than Cornell College graduates after ten years. ($57,400 vs. $45,400)
  • Southwestern University students graduate with a $107 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell College graduates. ($26,893 vs. $27,000)
  • SU graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell College graduates. ($278 vs. $279)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 74%)

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