Cornell vs. SUNY Cortland

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

Cornell SUNY Cortland
Location Ithaca, NY Cortland, NY
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 26,264 6,780
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #396
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu cortland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell SUNY Cortland
Tuition (In State) $65,204 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $65,204 $16,980
Room & Board $18,554 $15,210
Avg Net Price $26,455 $18,474
Avg Grant Aid $56,741 $8,034
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 71%

Admission

Cornell SUNY Cortland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,635 15,867
Admitted 5,358 8,046
Acceptance Rate 8.2% 50.7%
Enrolled % 66% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 22/27
SAT Range 1480/1560 1090/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2026

Academics

Cornell SUNY Cortland
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (41%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (5%)

Outcomes

Cornell SUNY Cortland
Graduation Rate 93% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $47,300
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $124 $222

Diversity

Cornell SUNY Cortland
% Men 19% 3%
% Women 20% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 41% 74%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 8% 5%

Students

Cornell SUNY Cortland
% In-State 32% 94%
% Out-of-State 55% 5%

Campus

Cornell SUNY Cortland
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 SUNY Cortland based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 6,780 students)

Cornell vs. SUNY Cortland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or SUNY Cortland?

  • Cornell University is 822.3% more expensive to attend than SUNY Cortland for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 284% higher at Cornell than SUNY College at Cortland ($65,204.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Cortland than Cornell ($18,474 vs. $26,455)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY College at Cortland are 22% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,210 vs. $18,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY College at Cortland than Cornell University (71% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 606.3% larger than aid received SUNY College at Cortland ($56,741 vs. $8,034)

Cornell vs. SUNY Cortland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at SUNY Cortland (3.7)
  • SUNY Cortland has a higher acceptance rate (50.7%) than Cornell (8.2%)

Cornell vs. SUNY Cortland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell or SUNY Cortland? 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 SUNY Cortland and Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than SUNY College at Cortland (93% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $51,100 more per year than SUNY Cortland graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $47,300)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SUNY Cortland graduates. ($12,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than SUNY Cortland graduates. ($124 vs. $222)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Cortland 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/