Cornell University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Cornell University is a private nonprofit college in Ithaca, NY. Students pay about $28,690 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $104,043 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 2.2 years and adds $444,670 over a decade, ranking it #14 of 918 (top 2%) by value added.
What is Cornell University's acceptance rate?
Cornell University has an acceptance rate of 8.8%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Ithaca, NY enrolling about 15,995 students, with a 95.3% graduation rate.
How much does Cornell University cost?
Cornell University costs about $28,690 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $128,760. Published sticker cost of attendance is $88,140 per year.
How much do Cornell University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Cornell University student earns $104,043 per year. That is $57,343 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Cornell University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Cornell University pays back its roughly $128,760 cost in about 2.2 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $444,670 net of cost, a 4.45x return on the money invested. That ranks it #14 of 918 (top 2%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Cornell University graduation rate and student debt
95.3% of Cornell University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $14,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 13% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Cornell University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Cornell University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $28,690 | $20,299 | cheaper than 21% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $104,043 | $54,768 | 99th |
| Graduation rate | 95.3% | 57.0% | 99th |
| Acceptance rate | 8.8% | 75.7% | more selective than 98% |
| 10-yr value added | $444,670 | -$28,192 | 99th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 4.45x | 0.73x | 96th |
| Payback period | 2.2 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 96% |
Frequently asked
Is Cornell University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Cornell University ranks #14 of 918 (top 2%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 4.45x the money invested over a decade.
Is Cornell University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $28,690 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 21% of them.
Do Cornell University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $104,043 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 99% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Cornell University compared to other colleges?
Its 8.8% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 98% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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