Cornell vs. Bucknell

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

Cornell Bucknell
Location Ithaca, NY Lewisburg, PA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 25,898 3,787
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #71
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu bucknell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell Bucknell
Tuition (In State) $62,456 $61,408
Tuition (Out of State) $62,456 $61,408
Room & Board $16,988 $15,358
Avg Net Price $26,060 $39,965
Avg Grant Aid $54,219 $37,775
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 56%

Admission

Cornell Bucknell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,195 11,707
Admitted 5,168 3,811
Acceptance Rate 7.5% 32.6%
Enrolled % 67.6% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 33/35 30/33
SAT Range 1470/1570 1310/1470
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 2, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Cornell Bucknell
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Cornell Bucknell
Graduation Rate 93% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $76,300
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $124 $279

Diversity

Cornell Bucknell
% Men 47% 48%
% Women 53% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 41% 77%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 10% 5%
% Unknown Race 8% 0%

Students

Cornell Bucknell
% In-State 33% 21%
% Out-of-State 55% 74%

Campus

Cornell Bucknell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Bucknell based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 3,787 students)

Cornell vs. Bucknell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Bucknell?

  • Cornell University is 1.7% more expensive to attend than Bucknell for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $61,408.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.7% higher at Cornell than Bucknell University ($62,456.00 vs. $61,408.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Bucknell ($26,060 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bucknell University are 10.6% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,358 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than Cornell University (56% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 43.5% larger than aid received Bucknell University ($54,219 vs. $37,775)

Cornell vs. Bucknell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 113 points higher than at Bucknell (1315)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Bucknell (30)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Bucknell (3.62)
  • Bucknell has a higher acceptance rate (32.6%) than Cornell (7.5%)

Cornell vs. Bucknell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell or Bucknell? 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 Bucknell and Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Bucknell University (93% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $22,100 more per year than Bucknell graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $76,300)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($12,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($124 vs. $279)
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

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