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BU BC Tufts Princeton Babson Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago| Northeastern University | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northeastern | Cornell | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 31,159 | 26,264 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #132 | #19 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northeastern.edu | cornell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northeastern | Cornell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,000 | $65,204 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,000 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,790 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $34,770 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $46,558 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 51% |
Admission |
Northeastern | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 96,631 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 5,459 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.6% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50.3% | 66% | ||
| 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 | 1460/1550 | 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 1, 2026 | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
Northeastern | Cornell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 9:1 | ||
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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 | 26% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 23% | 20% | ||
| 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% | 32% | ||
| % 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 (31,159 students vs. 26,264 students)
Northeastern vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 5.2% more expensive to attend than Northeastern for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $62,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at Cornell than Northeastern University ($65,204.00 vs. $62,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Northeastern ($26,455 vs. $34,770)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 1.3% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($18,554 vs. $18,790)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Cornell University (73% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 21.9% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($56,741 vs. $46,558)
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 (8.2%) than Northeastern (5.6%)
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/