Northeastern vs. Cornell

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

BU BC Tufts Princeton Babson Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago
Northeastern University vs. Cornell University comparison
Northeastern University Cornell University College 3 College 4
Northeastern University Cornell University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Northeastern Cornell
Location Boston, MA Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 30,013 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #130 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northeastern.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern Cornell
Tuition (In State) $59,100 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $59,100 $62,456
Room & Board $18,430 $16,988
Avg Net Price $35,827 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $42,331 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 51%

Admission

Northeastern Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 91,000 69,195
Admitted 6,191 5,168
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 7.5%
Enrolled % 40.7% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 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 1, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Northeastern Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

Northeastern Cornell
Graduation Rate 77% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,500 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,875 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $288 $124

Diversity

Northeastern Cornell
% Men 48% 47%
% Women 52% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 41%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 20% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 8%

Students

Northeastern Cornell
% In-State 21% 33%
% Out-of-State 66% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern University is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (30,013 students vs. 25,898 students)

Northeastern vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 5.7% more expensive to attend than Northeastern for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $59,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at Cornell than Northeastern University ($62,456.00 vs. $59,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Northeastern ($26,060 vs. $35,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 8.5% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($16,988 vs. $18,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Cornell University (82% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 28.1% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($54,219 vs. $42,331)

Northeastern vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern University (1435) is 7 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
  • Incoming Northeastern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Cornell (3.9)
  • Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (7.5%) than Northeastern (6.8%)

Northeastern vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern 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 Northeastern.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Northeastern University (93% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $28,900 more per year than Northeastern graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $69,500)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $15,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($12,000 vs. $27,875)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $164 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($124 vs. $288)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 79%)

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