Cornell vs. Duquesne University

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

Cornell Duquesne University
Location Ithaca, NY Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 26,264 8,137
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #191
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu duq.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell Duquesne University
Tuition (In State) $65,204 $47,146
Tuition (Out of State) $65,204 $47,146
Room & Board $18,554 $15,620
Avg Net Price $26,455 $35,125
Avg Grant Aid $56,741 $27,980
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 100%

Admission

Cornell Duquesne University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,635 14,112
Admitted 5,358 11,128
Acceptance Rate 8.2% 78.9%
Enrolled % 66% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 26/31
SAT Range 1480/1560 1160/1350
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, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

Cornell Duquesne University
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Business (31%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Cornell Duquesne University
Graduation Rate 93% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $65,100
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $124 $279

Diversity

Cornell Duquesne University
% Men 19% 13%
% Women 20% 23%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 41% 81%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 10% 4%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

Cornell Duquesne University
% In-State 32% 70%
% Out-of-State 55% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cornell University is larger than than Duquesne University based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 8,137 students)

Cornell vs. Duquesne University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Duquesne University?

  • Cornell University is 38.3% more expensive to attend than Duquesne University for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $47,146.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.3% higher at Cornell than Duquesne University ($65,204.00 vs. $47,146.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Duquesne University ($26,455 vs. $35,125)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duquesne University are 18.8% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,620 vs. $18,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Duquesne University than Cornell University (100% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 102.8% larger than aid received Duquesne University ($56,741 vs. $27,980)

Cornell vs. Duquesne University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 290 points higher than at Duquesne University (1138)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Duquesne University (26)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Duquesne University (3.8)
  • Duquesne University has a higher acceptance rate (78.9%) than Cornell (8.2%)

Cornell vs. Duquesne University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell or Duquesne University? 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 Duquesne University and Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Duquesne University (93% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $33,300 more per year than Duquesne University graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $65,100)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Duquesne University graduates. ($12,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than Duquesne University graduates. ($124 vs. $279)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Duquesne University students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)

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