Cornell vs. University at Albany- SUNY

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

Cornell University at Albany- SUNY
Location Ithaca, NY Albany, NY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 26,264 16,880
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #242
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu albany.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell University at Albany- SUNY
Tuition (In State) $65,204 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $65,204 $25,660
Room & Board $18,554 $16,182
Avg Net Price $26,455 $19,165
Avg Grant Aid $56,741 $9,747
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 93%

Admission

Cornell University at Albany- SUNY
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,635 30,740
Admitted 5,358 21,477
Acceptance Rate 8.2% 69.9%
Enrolled % 66% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 22/31
SAT Range 1480/1560 1120/1320
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Cornell University at Albany- SUNY
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

Cornell University at Albany- SUNY
Graduation Rate 93% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $55,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $21,065
Median Loan Payment $124 $217

Diversity

Cornell University at Albany- SUNY
% Men 19% 11%
% Women 20% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 49%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 12% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 10% 6%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

Cornell University at Albany- SUNY
% In-State 32% 93%
% Out-of-State 55% 4%

Campus

Cornell University at Albany- SUNY
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
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 University at Albany- SUNY based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 16,880 students)

Cornell vs. University at Albany- SUNY Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or University at Albany- SUNY?

  • Cornell University is 822.3% more expensive to attend than University at Albany- SUNY for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 154.1% higher at Cornell than SUNY at Albany ($65,204.00 vs. $25,660.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than Cornell ($19,165 vs. $26,455)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Albany are 14.7% lower than costs at Cornell University ($16,182 vs. $18,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than Cornell University (93% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 482.1% larger than aid received SUNY at Albany ($56,741 vs. $9,747)

Cornell vs. University at Albany- SUNY Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 337 points higher than at University at Albany- SUNY (1091)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (24)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
  • University at Albany- SUNY has a higher acceptance rate (69.9%) than Cornell (8.2%)

Cornell vs. University at Albany- SUNY Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell or University at Albany- SUNY? 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 University at Albany- SUNY and Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than SUNY at Albany (93% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $42,600 more per year than University at Albany- SUNY graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $55,800)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $9,065 lower median federal student loan debt than University at Albany- SUNY graduates. ($12,000 vs. $21,065)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than University at Albany- SUNY graduates. ($124 vs. $217)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University at Albany- SUNY students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 70%)

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