Cornell vs. Sarah Lawrence

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

Cornell Sarah Lawrence
Location Ithaca, NY Bronxville, NY
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 26,264 1,743
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #127
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu slc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell Sarah Lawrence
Tuition (In State) $65,204 $63,128
Tuition (Out of State) $65,204 $63,128
Room & Board $18,554 $17,546
Avg Net Price $26,455 $43,571
Avg Grant Aid $56,741 $35,677
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 84%

Admission

Cornell Sarah Lawrence
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,635 4,819
Admitted 5,358 2,840
Acceptance Rate 8.2% 58.9%
Enrolled % 66% 14.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 29/33
SAT Range 1480/1560 1270/1440
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 Sarah Lawrence
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

Cornell Sarah Lawrence
Graduation Rate 93% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $44,100
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $13,500
Median Loan Payment $124 $139

Diversity

Cornell Sarah Lawrence
% Men 19% 2%
% Women 20% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 53%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 10% 13%
% Unknown Race 8% 8%

Students

Cornell Sarah Lawrence
% In-State 32% 18%
% Out-of-State 55% 76%

Campus

Cornell Sarah Lawrence
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 Sarah Lawrence based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 1,743 students)

Cornell vs. Sarah Lawrence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Sarah Lawrence?

  • Cornell University is 3.3% more expensive to attend than Sarah Lawrence for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $63,128.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at Cornell than Sarah Lawrence College ($65,204.00 vs. $63,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Sarah Lawrence ($26,455 vs. $43,571)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sarah Lawrence College are 5.7% lower than costs at Cornell University ($17,546 vs. $18,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sarah Lawrence College than Cornell University (84% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 59% larger than aid received Sarah Lawrence College ($56,741 vs. $35,677)

Cornell vs. Sarah Lawrence Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Sarah Lawrence (3.75)
  • Sarah Lawrence has a higher acceptance rate (58.9%) than Cornell (8.2%)

Cornell vs. Sarah Lawrence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell or Sarah Lawrence? 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 Sarah Lawrence and Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Sarah Lawrence College (93% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $54,300 more per year than Sarah Lawrence graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $44,100)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Sarah Lawrence graduates. ($12,000 vs. $13,500)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Sarah Lawrence graduates. ($124 vs. $139)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sarah Lawrence students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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