George Washington vs. Cornell

Should I go to George Washington University or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if George Washington or Cornell 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

AU Georgetown Princeton Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern Yale Dartmouth
George Washington University vs. Cornell University comparison
George Washington University Cornell University College 3 College 4
George Washington University Cornell University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

George Washington Cornell
Location Washington, DC Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 25,939 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #73 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gwu.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

George Washington Cornell
Tuition (In State) $62,110 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $62,110 $62,456
Room & Board $15,720 $16,988
Avg Net Price $42,723 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $35,257 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 51%

Admission

George Washington Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,266 69,195
Admitted 13,354 5,168
Acceptance Rate 49% 7.5%
Enrolled % 22% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 33/35
SAT Range 1330/1490 1470/1570
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 5, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

George Washington Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (34%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

George Washington Cornell
Graduation Rate 81% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,500 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,962 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $124

Diversity

George Washington Cornell
% Men 38% 47%
% Women 62% 53%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 41%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 10% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

George Washington Cornell
% In-State 1% 33%
% Out-of-State 89% 55%

Campus

George Washington Cornell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • George Washington University is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (25,939 students vs. 25,898 students)

George Washington vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, George Washington or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 0.6% more expensive to attend than George Washington for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $62,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at Cornell than George Washington University ($62,456.00 vs. $62,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than George Washington ($26,060 vs. $42,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Washington University are 8.1% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,720 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Washington University than Cornell University (78% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 53.8% larger than aid received George Washington University ($54,219 vs. $35,257)

George Washington vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 134 points higher than at George Washington (1294)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at George Washington (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at George Washington (3.81)
  • George Washington has a higher acceptance rate (49%) than Cornell (7.5%)

George Washington vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, George Washington or Cornell? 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 Cornell and George Washington.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than George Washington University (93% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $17,900 more per year than George Washington graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $80,500)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $12,962 lower median federal student loan debt than George Washington graduates. ($12,000 vs. $24,962)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $134 less per month on federal student loans than George Washington graduates. ($124 vs. $258)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former George Washington students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)

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