Cornell vs. Oberlin

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

Cornell Oberlin
Location Ithaca, NY Oberlin, OH
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 25,898 2,992
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #148
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu oberlin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell Oberlin
Tuition (In State) $62,456 $61,106
Tuition (Out of State) $62,456 $61,106
Room & Board $16,988 $18,390
Avg Net Price $26,060 $46,462
Avg Grant Aid $54,219 $35,040
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 98%

Admission

Cornell Oberlin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,195 11,066
Admitted 5,168 3,859
Acceptance Rate 7.5% 34.9%
Enrolled % 67.6% 22.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 33/35 30/33
SAT Range 1470/1570 1360/1530
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 Oberlin
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Cornell Oberlin
Graduation Rate 93% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $26,579
Median Loan Payment $124 $274

Diversity

Cornell Oberlin
% Men 47% 41%
% Women 53% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 41% 68%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 10% 8%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

Cornell Oberlin
% In-State 33% 6%
% Out-of-State 55% 84%

Campus

Cornell Oberlin
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 Oberlin based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 2,992 students)

Cornell vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Oberlin?

  • Cornell University is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Oberlin for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $61,106.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Cornell than Oberlin College ($62,456.00 vs. $61,106.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Oberlin ($26,060 vs. $46,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 8.3% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($16,988 vs. $18,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oberlin College than Cornell University (98% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 54.7% larger than aid received Oberlin College ($54,219 vs. $35,040)

Cornell vs. Oberlin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 71 points higher than at Oberlin (1357)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Oberlin (31)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Oberlin (3.67)
  • Oberlin has a higher acceptance rate (34.9%) than Cornell (7.5%)

Cornell vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Oberlin College (93% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $54,500 more per year than Oberlin graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $43,900)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $14,579 lower median federal student loan debt than Oberlin graduates. ($12,000 vs. $26,579)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $150 less per month on federal student loans than Oberlin graduates. ($124 vs. $274)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oberlin 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/