Cornell vs. Syracuse

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

Cornell Syracuse
Location Ithaca, NY Syracuse, NY
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 25,898 22,698
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #165
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu syr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell Syracuse
Tuition (In State) $62,456 $58,440
Tuition (Out of State) $62,456 $58,440
Room & Board $16,988 $17,170
Avg Net Price $26,060 $43,651
Avg Grant Aid $54,219 $34,737
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 77%

Admission

Cornell Syracuse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,195 41,489
Admitted 5,168 21,471
Acceptance Rate 7.5% 51.8%
Enrolled % 67.6% 19.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 28/32
SAT Range 1470/1570 1260/1430
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 1, 2025

Academics

Cornell Syracuse
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Cornell Syracuse
Graduation Rate 93% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $65,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $124 $279

Diversity

Cornell Syracuse
% Men 47% 46%
% Women 53% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 55%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 12% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 10% 12%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

Cornell Syracuse
% In-State 33% 28%
% Out-of-State 55% 61%

Campus

Cornell Syracuse
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 Syracuse based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 22,698 students)

Cornell vs. Syracuse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Syracuse?

  • Cornell University is 6.9% more expensive to attend than Syracuse for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $58,440.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.9% higher at Cornell than Syracuse University ($62,456.00 vs. $58,440.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Syracuse ($26,060 vs. $43,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 1.1% lower than costs at Syracuse University ($16,988 vs. $17,170)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Syracuse University than Cornell University (77% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 56.1% larger than aid received Syracuse University ($54,219 vs. $34,737)

Cornell vs. Syracuse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 233 points higher than at Syracuse (1195)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Syracuse (27)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Syracuse (3.69)
  • Syracuse has a higher acceptance rate (51.8%) than Cornell (7.5%)

Cornell vs. Syracuse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Syracuse University (93% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $32,500 more per year than Syracuse graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $65,900)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($12,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($124 vs. $279)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Syracuse students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

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