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Maryland TU Princeton Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern Yale| University of Maryland Baltimore County | Cornell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UMBC | Cornell | ||
| Location | Baltimore, MD | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 14,148 | 26,264 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #263 | #19 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | umbc.edu | cornell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UMBC | Cornell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,238 | $65,204 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,594 | $65,204 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,204 | $18,554 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,704 | $26,455 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,956 | $56,741 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 51% |
Admission |
UMBC | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,150 | 65,635 | ||
| Admitted | 9,762 | 5,358 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.2% | 8.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.3% | 66% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 23/30 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 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 | Feb 1, 2026 | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
UMBC | Cornell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UMBC | Cornell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 57% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $98,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 67% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,197 | $12,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $124 |
Diversity |
UMBC | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 19% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 20% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 44% | 41% | ||
| % Black | 17% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 8% |
Students |
UMBC | Cornell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 32% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 6% | 55% | ||
Campus |
UMBC | Cornell | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Cornell University is larger than than UMBC based on total student enrollment (26,264 students vs. 14,148 students)
UMBC vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 605.8% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $9,238.00)
- Out of state tuition is 145.2% higher at Cornell than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($65,204.00 vs. $26,594.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Cornell ($17,704 vs. $26,455)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 30.6% lower than costs at Cornell University ($14,204 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Cornell University (87% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 469.9% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($56,741 vs. $9,956)
UMBC vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UMBC or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or UMBC .
- The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 219 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
- Incoming Cornell students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UMBC (27)
- Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Cornell (3.9)
- UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Cornell (8.2%)
UMBC vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.
- The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (93% vs. 57%)
- Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $38,900 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $59,500)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $9,197 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($12,000 vs. $21,197)
- Cornell graduates are paying $95 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($124 vs. $219)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/