Cornell vs. Vassar

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

Cornell Vassar
Location Ithaca, NY Poughkeepsie, NY
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 25,898 2,459
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #47
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu vassar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell Vassar
Tuition (In State) $62,456 $63,840
Tuition (Out of State) $62,456 $63,840
Room & Board $16,988 $16,560
Avg Net Price $26,060 $30,603
Avg Grant Aid $54,219 $50,193
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 57%

Admission

Cornell Vassar
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,195 11,412
Admitted 5,168 2,129
Acceptance Rate 7.5% 18.7%
Enrolled % 67.6% 32%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 32/34
SAT Range 1470/1570 1430/1535
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 Vassar
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

Cornell Vassar
Graduation Rate 93% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $15,780
Median Loan Payment $124 $163

Diversity

Cornell Vassar
% Men 47% 38%
% Women 53% 62%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 59%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 8% 0%

Students

Cornell Vassar
% In-State 33% 24%
% Out-of-State 55% 69%

Campus

Cornell Vassar
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 Vassar based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 2,459 students)

Cornell vs. Vassar Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Vassar?

  • Vassar College is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Cornell for in-state tuition ($63,840.00 vs. $62,456.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Vassar than Cornell University ($63,840.00 vs. $62,456.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Vassar ($26,060 vs. $30,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vassar College are 2.6% lower than costs at Cornell University ($16,560 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vassar College than Cornell University (57% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 8% larger than aid received Vassar College ($54,219 vs. $50,193)

Cornell vs. Vassar Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 23 points higher than at Vassar (1405)
  • Incoming Cornell students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at Vassar (32)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Vassar (3.86)
  • Vassar has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Cornell (7.5%)

Cornell vs. Vassar Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Vassar College (93% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $40,000 more per year than Vassar graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $58,400)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $3,780 lower median federal student loan debt than Vassar graduates. ($12,000 vs. $15,780)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Vassar graduates. ($124 vs. $163)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 87%)

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