Wheaton College vs. Cornell College

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

Wheaton College Cornell College
Location Wheaton, IL Mount Vernon, IA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 2,799 1,084
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #455
Religious Affiliation Undenominational United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu cornellcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Cornell College
Tuition (In State) $43,670 $49,970
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $49,970
Room & Board $12,390 $11,358
Avg Net Price $31,346 $25,850
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $38,486
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Wheaton College Cornell College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 3,087
Admitted 1,679 2,490
Acceptance Rate 90% 80.7%
Enrolled % 32.9% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 23/30
SAT Range 1260/1440 1150/1318
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Wheaton College Cornell College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Cornell College
Graduation Rate 87% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $45,400
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $279

Diversity

Wheaton College Cornell College
% Men 10% 0%
% Women 14% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 66%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

Wheaton College Cornell College
% In-State 21% 30%
% Out-of-State 54% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Cornell College based on total student enrollment (2,799 students vs. 1,084 students)

Wheaton College vs. Cornell College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Cornell College?

  • Cornell College is 14.4% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($49,970.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.4% higher at Cornell College than Wheaton College ($49,970.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell College than Wheaton College ($25,850 vs. $31,346)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell College are 9.1% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($11,358 vs. $12,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell College than Wheaton College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell College students is 52.7% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($38,486 vs. $25,196)

Wheaton College vs. Cornell College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 137 points higher than at Cornell College (1177)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Cornell College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Cornell College (3.53)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Cornell College (80.7%)

Wheaton College vs. Cornell College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or Cornell College? 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 College and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Cornell College (87% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $8,900 more per year than Cornell College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $45,400)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell College graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 74%)

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