Cornell vs. Stanford

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

Cornell Stanford
Location Ithaca, NY Stanford, CA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 25,898 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell Stanford
Tuition (In State) $62,456 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $62,456 $57,693
Room & Board $16,988 $18,619
Avg Net Price $26,060 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $54,219 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 53%

Admission

Cornell Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,195 56,378
Admitted 5,168 2,075
Acceptance Rate 7.5% 3.7%
Enrolled % 67.6% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1470/1570 1500/1580
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 2, 2025

Academics

Cornell Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Cornell Stanford
Graduation Rate 93% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $124 $128

Diversity

Cornell Stanford
% Men 47% 53%
% Women 53% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 37%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 10%
% International 10% 9%
% Unknown Race 8% 0%

Students

Cornell Stanford
% In-State 33% 35%
% Out-of-State 55% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cornell University is larger than than Stanford based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 18,283 students)

Cornell vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Stanford?

  • Cornell University is 8.3% more expensive to attend than Stanford for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at Cornell than Stanford University ($62,456.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Cornell ($18,279 vs. $26,060)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 9.6% lower than costs at Stanford University ($16,988 vs. $18,619)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stanford University than Cornell University (53% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 11.8% larger than aid received Cornell University ($60,619 vs. $54,219)

Cornell vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 51 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
  • Incoming Stanford students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Cornell (3.9)
  • Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (7.5%) than Stanford (3.7%)

Cornell vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than Cornell University (96% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $24,500 more per year than Cornell graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $98,400)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $475 lower median federal student loan debt than Stanford graduates. ($12,000 vs. $12,475)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Stanford graduates. ($124 vs. $128)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 87%)

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