Princeton vs. Cornell

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

Princeton Cornell
Location Princeton, NJ Ithaca, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 8,842 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website princeton.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Princeton Cornell
Tuition (In State) $57,410 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $57,410 $62,456
Room & Board $18,630 $16,988
Avg Net Price $18,698 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $59,792 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 51%

Admission

Princeton Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,019 69,195
Admitted 2,167 5,168
Acceptance Rate 5.7% 7.5%
Enrolled % 69.2% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 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

Princeton Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

Princeton Cornell
Graduation Rate 96% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $77 $124

Diversity

Princeton Cornell
% Men 53% 47%
% Women 47% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 41%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

Princeton Cornell
% In-State 16% 33%
% Out-of-State 69% 55%

Campus

Princeton Cornell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Princeton based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 8,842 students)

Princeton vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 8.8% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.8% higher at Cornell than Princeton University ($62,456.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Cornell ($18,698 vs. $26,060)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 9.7% lower than costs at Princeton University ($16,988 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Cornell University (61% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 10.3% larger than aid received Cornell University ($59,792 vs. $54,219)

Princeton vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 62 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Cornell (3.9)
  • Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (7.5%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Princeton vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Princeton 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 Princeton.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Cornell University (96% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $15,500 more per year than Cornell graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $98,400)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell graduates. ($7,500 vs. $12,000)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell graduates. ($77 vs. $124)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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