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Princeton Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern Yale Dartmouth WUSTL| Cornell University | Thomas Jefferson University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cornell | Jefferson | ||
| Location | Ithaca, NY | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 26,264 | 8,315 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #19 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cornell.edu | jefferson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cornell | Jefferson | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $65,204 | $44,400 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $65,204 | $44,400 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,554 | $17,246 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,455 | $29,097 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $56,741 | $33,063 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 51% | 100% |
Admission |
Cornell | Jefferson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 65,635 | 6,084 | ||
| Admitted | 5,358 | 5,241 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 8.2% | 86.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 66% | 14.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.9 | 3.73 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1480/1560 | 1150/1350 | ||
| 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 | Jul 31, 2026 |
Academics |
Cornell | Jefferson | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cornell | Jefferson | ||
| Graduation Rate | 93% | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $98,400 | $122,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 86% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,000 | $12,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $124 | $129 |
Diversity |
Cornell | Jefferson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 19% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 40% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 41% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 1% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 10% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 8% | 7% |
Students |
Cornell | Jefferson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 32% | 68% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 55% | 30% | ||
Campus |
Cornell | Jefferson | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | |||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | |||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Cornell University is larger than than Jefferson based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 8,315 students)
Cornell vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Jefferson?
- Cornell University is 46.9% more expensive to attend than Jefferson for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $44,400.00)
- Out of state tuition is 46.9% higher at Cornell than Thomas Jefferson University ($65,204.00 vs. $44,400.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Jefferson ($26,455 vs. $29,097)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Jefferson University are 7.6% lower than costs at Cornell University ($17,246 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than Cornell University (100% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 71.6% larger than aid received Thomas Jefferson University ($56,741 vs. $33,063)
Cornell vs. Jefferson Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cornell or Jefferson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Jefferson or Cornell .
- Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Jefferson (3.73)
- Jefferson has a higher acceptance rate (86.1%) than Cornell (8.2%)
Cornell vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cornell or Jefferson? 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 Jefferson and Cornell.
- Graduates from Thomas Jefferson 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 $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Jefferson graduates. ($12,000 vs. $12,500)
- Cornell graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Jefferson graduates. ($124 vs. $129)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Jefferson students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/