Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
RPI Princeton Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern Yale Dartmouth| Cornell University | Rochester Institute of Technology | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cornell | RIT | ||
| Location | Ithaca, NY | Rochester, NY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 26,264 | 16,863 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #19 | #182 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cornell.edu | rit.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cornell | RIT | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $65,204 | $56,136 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $65,204 | $56,136 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,554 | $15,516 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,455 | $39,753 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $56,741 | $31,931 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 51% | 99% |
Admission |
Cornell | RIT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 65,635 | 24,269 | ||
| Admitted | 5,358 | 17,328 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 8.2% | 71.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 66% | 17.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.9 | 3.7 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 29/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1480/1560 | 1280/1460 | ||
| 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 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Cornell | RIT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 13:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Cornell | RIT | ||
| Graduation Rate | 93% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $98,400 | $64,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,000 | $28,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $124 | $289 |
Diversity |
Cornell | RIT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 19% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 7% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 41% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 10% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 8% | 5% |
Students |
Cornell | RIT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 32% | 45% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 55% | 52% | ||
Campus |
Cornell | RIT | ||
| 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 RIT based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 16,863 students)
Cornell vs. RIT Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cornell or RIT ?
- Cornell University is 16.2% more expensive to attend than RIT for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $56,136.00)
- Out of state tuition is 16.2% higher at Cornell than Rochester Institute of Technology ($65,204.00 vs. $56,136.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than RIT ($26,455 vs. $39,753)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 19.6% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,516 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than Cornell University (99% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 77.7% larger than aid received Rochester Institute of Technology ($56,741 vs. $31,931)
Cornell vs. RIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cornell or RIT ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RIT or Cornell .
- The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 177 points higher than at RIT (1251)
- Incoming Cornell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RIT (29)
- Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at RIT (3.7)
- RIT has a higher acceptance rate (71.4%) than Cornell (8.2%)
Cornell vs. RIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cornell or RIT ? 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 RIT and Cornell.
- The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (93% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $33,500 more per year than RIT graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $64,900)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $16,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($12,000 vs. $28,000)
- Cornell graduates are paying $165 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($124 vs. $289)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIT students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/