Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
NJIT TCNJ Penn State Seton Hall University Rutgers University-Camden Princeton SUNY Stony Brook Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke| Rutgers University New Brunswick | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Rutgers | Cornell | ||
| Location | New Brunswick, NJ | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 50,617 | 26,264 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #113 | #19 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | rutgers.edu | cornell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Rutgers | Cornell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $13,674 | $65,204 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,436 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,715 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,052 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $16,249 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 51% |
Admission |
Rutgers | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 43,347 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 28,326 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 65.3% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.1% | 66% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 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 2, 2026 |
Academics |
Rutgers | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 9:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Rutgers | Cornell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $66,200 | $98,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 68% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,215 | $12,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $229 | $124 |
Diversity |
Rutgers | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 20% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 41% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 8% |
Students |
Rutgers | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 84% | 32% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 55% | ||
Campus |
Rutgers | 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
- Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (50,617 students vs. 26,264 students)
Rutgers vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 376.8% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $13,674.00)
- Out of state tuition is 101% higher at Cornell than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($65,204.00 vs. $32,436.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Cornell ($19,052 vs. $26,455)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 26.1% lower than costs at Cornell University ($14,715 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Cornell University (52% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 249.2% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($56,741 vs. $16,249)
Rutgers vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or Rutgers .
- The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 203 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
- Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
- Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (65.3%) than Cornell (8.2%)
Rutgers vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.
- The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (93% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $32,200 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $66,200)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $10,215 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($12,000 vs. $22,215)
- Cornell graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($124 vs. $229)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 68%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/