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.

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George Washington University vs. Cornell University comparison
George Washington University Cornell University College 3 College 4
George Washington University Cornell University
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Overview

George Washington Cornell
Location Washington, DC Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 25,568 26,264
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #76 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gwu.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

George Washington Cornell
Tuition (In State) $64,700 $65,204
Tuition (Out of State) $64,700 $65,204
Room & Board $16,300 $18,554
Avg Net Price $45,466 $26,455
Avg Grant Aid $35,367 $56,741
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 51%

Admission

George Washington Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,094 65,635
Admitted 11,798 5,358
Acceptance Rate 43.5% 8.2%
Enrolled % 21.5% 66%
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 1350/1500 1480/1560
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, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

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 22% 19%
% Women 34% 20%
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% 32%
% Out-of-State 88% 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

  • Cornell University is larger than than George Washington based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 25,568 students)

George Washington vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, George Washington or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 0.8% more expensive to attend than George Washington for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $64,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.8% higher at Cornell than George Washington University ($65,204.00 vs. $64,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than George Washington ($26,455 vs. $45,466)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Washington University are 13.8% lower than costs at Cornell University ($16,300 vs. $18,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Washington University than Cornell University (77% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 60.4% larger than aid received George Washington University ($56,741 vs. $35,367)

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 (43.5%) than Cornell (8.2%)

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/