Stanford vs Cornell

Stanford University and Cornell University, two prestigious institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences to their students. Stanford, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, is known for its strong focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, while Cornell, situated in the picturesque Finger Lakes region of New York, emphasizes a broad range of academic disciplines and boasts a vibrant campus life. With acceptance rates of 4.7% and 10.9%, respectively, both universities are highly selective, attracting top students from around the world. While Stanford's student body is slightly more diverse, Cornell offers a wider variety of undergraduate majors, including unique programs like Hotel Administration and Labor Relations. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences between these two esteemed universities and make an informed decision about which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Cornell University logo

Cornell University

Stanford University logo

Stanford University

Overview

Location Ithaca, New York Stanford, California
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 98.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.7% 3.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $105
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $125
SAT range 1450 - 1560 1470 - 1570
ACT range 33 - 35 34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 41.0% 15.0%
Students submitting ACT score 20.0% 11.0%
Total number of applicants 67,380 55,471
Total number of admissions given out 5,852 2,190
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,718 1,757
Yield rate 63.5% 80.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $80,287 $78,898
Average net price $24,262 $14,402
Tuition $60,286 $55,473
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,962

Meal plan: $6,434
Room/dormitory: $11,166

Meal plan: $6,694
Available payment plans

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

50.0%
Average amount $52,674
61.0%
Average amount $56,211
Students receiving federal student loan 26.0%
Average amount $3,924
5.0%
Average amount $5,151
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $8,357
1.0%
Average amount $17,186

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 15,503
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
7,645
Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
Graduate students 10,079
Men 51.0% Women 49.0%
10,035
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 64.3% 58.5%
International students 24.4% 24.4%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 7,422 14,621
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California New Jersey Florida Pennsylvania California Texas Washington New York Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Legal Profession
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 5:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 94.1% 95.5%
Dropout rate 5.2% 1.7%
Transferred out N/A 0.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $185,154
  • Year 2: $172,867
  • Year 3: $207,272
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $150,786
  • Year 2: $145,332
  • Year 3: $167,695
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,764
  • Year 2: $122,485
  • Year 3: $158,076
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $147,241
  • Year 2: $127,397
  • Year 3: $155,653
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,311
  • Year 2: $111,926
  • Year 3: $126,082
Operations Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,067
  • Year 2: $109,763
  • Year 3: $124,590
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,459
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $109,597
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,672
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $109,553
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,847
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $107,658
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $106,693
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $151,574
  • Year 2: $170,457
  • Year 3: $210,837
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $159,729
  • Year 2: $168,942
  • Year 3: $203,193
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $164,734
  • Year 2: $163,337
  • Year 3: $187,054
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $137,457
  • Year 2: $150,874
  • Year 3: $173,548
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $136,126
  • Year 2: $136,499
  • Year 3: $165,375
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $128,556
  • Year 2: $135,709
  • Year 3: $157,500
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,354
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $139,234
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,326
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $126,185
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,457
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $107,477
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,475
  • Year 2: $85,391
  • Year 3: $104,592

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