WUSTL vs. Cornell

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

WUSTL Cornell
Location Saint Louis, MO Ithaca, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 17,012 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #20 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wustl.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WUSTL Cornell
Tuition (In State) $59,420 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $59,420 $62,456
Room & Board $18,470 $16,988
Avg Net Price $23,432 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $58,188 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 51%

Admission

WUSTL Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 32,014 69,195
Admitted 3,764 5,168
Acceptance Rate 11.8% 7.5%
Enrolled % 48.2% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1500/1570 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 4, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

WUSTL Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

WUSTL Cornell
Graduation Rate 93% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,800 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,900 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $205 $124

Diversity

WUSTL Cornell
% Men 47% 47%
% Women 53% 53%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 41%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 8% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

WUSTL Cornell
% In-State 12% 33%
% Out-of-State 77% 55%

Campus

WUSTL Cornell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Cornell University is larger than than WUSTL based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 17,012 students)

WUSTL vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WUSTL or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 5.1% more expensive to attend than WUSTL for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $59,420.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.1% higher at Cornell than Washington University in St Louis ($62,456.00 vs. $59,420.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington University in St Louis than Cornell ($23,432 vs. $26,060)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 8.7% lower than costs at Washington University in St Louis ($16,988 vs. $18,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than Washington University in St Louis (51% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington University in St Louis students is 7.3% larger than aid received Cornell University ($58,188 vs. $54,219)

WUSTL vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington University in St Louis (1469) is 41 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
  • Incoming WUSTL students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman WUSTL students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Cornell (3.9)
  • WUSTL has a higher acceptance rate (11.8%) than Cornell (7.5%)

WUSTL vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WUSTL 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 WUSTL .

  • The graduation rate at WUSTL is the same as at Cornell University (93% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $15,600 more per year than WUSTL graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $82,800)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $7,900 lower median federal student loan debt than WUSTL graduates. ($12,000 vs. $19,900)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $81 less per month on federal student loans than WUSTL graduates. ($124 vs. $205)
  • More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 87%)

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