Cornell College vs. Wagner College

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

Cornell College Wagner College
Location Mount Vernon, IA Staten Island, NY
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,084 1,932
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #455 #350
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Lutheran Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornellcollege.edu wagner.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell College Wagner College
Tuition (In State) $49,970 $50,200
Tuition (Out of State) $49,970 $50,200
Room & Board $11,358 $15,600
Avg Net Price $25,850 $28,109
Avg Grant Aid $38,486 $35,322
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Cornell College Wagner College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,087 2,328
Admitted 2,490 1,943
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 83.5%
Enrolled % 12% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 23/27
SAT Range 1150/1318 1150/1320
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 15, 2026

Academics

Cornell College Wagner College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Cornell College Wagner College
Graduation Rate 70% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,400 $64,100
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,379
Median Loan Payment $279 $272

Diversity

Cornell College Wagner College
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 0% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 66%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 13% 11%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 7%

Students

Cornell College Wagner College
% In-State 30% 46%
% Out-of-State 67% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wagner College is larger than than Cornell College based on total student enrollment (1,932 students vs. 1,084 students)

Cornell College vs. Wagner College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell College or Wagner College?

  • Wagner College is 0.5% more expensive to attend than Cornell College for in-state tuition ($50,200.00 vs. $49,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at Wagner College than Cornell College ($50,200.00 vs. $49,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell College than Wagner College ($25,850 vs. $28,109)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell College are 37.3% lower than costs at Wagner College ($11,358 vs. $15,600)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Cornell College as Wagner College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell College students is 9% larger than aid received Wagner College ($38,486 vs. $35,322)

Cornell College vs. Wagner College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cornell College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Wagner College (3.5)
  • Wagner College has a higher acceptance rate (83.5%) than Cornell College (80.7%)

Cornell College vs. Wagner College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cornell College is higher than Wagner College (70% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Wagner College earn on average $18,700 more per year than Cornell College graduates after ten years. ($64,100 vs. $45,400)
  • Wagner College students graduate with a $621 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell College graduates. ($26,379 vs. $27,000)
  • Wagner College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell College graduates. ($272 vs. $279)
  • More Wagner College 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/