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Harvard Yale Penn Duke Georgetown Brown NYU Johns Hopkins Columbia Colgate UChicago Stanford| Princeton University | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Princeton | Cornell | ||
| Location | Princeton, NJ | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 8,922 | 26,264 | ||
| 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) | $59,710 | $65,204 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $59,710 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,380 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,811 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,629 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 60% | 51% |
Admission |
Princeton | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 39,644 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 1,782 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 4.5% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 76.7% | 66% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.93 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1580 | 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 |
Princeton | Cornell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 9:1 | ||
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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 | 21% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 20% | ||
| 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% | 32% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 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 (26,264 students vs. 8,922 students)
Princeton vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 9.2% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $59,710.00)
- Out of state tuition is 9.2% higher at Cornell than Princeton University ($65,204.00 vs. $59,710.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Cornell ($19,811 vs. $26,455)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 4.5% lower than costs at Princeton University ($18,554 vs. $19,380)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Cornell University (60% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 6.9% larger than aid received Cornell University ($60,629 vs. $56,741)
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 (8.2%) than Princeton (4.5%)
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/