Private · #11 National University
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · 15,995 undergraduates
What it may cost by family income
Estimated average net price — what families actually pay after grants and scholarships — by annual household income. Net price matters far more than the $88,140 sticker price. All figures are the full cost of attendance — housing, food, and books included, not just tuition.
| Household income | Est. net price / year |
|---|---|
| Under $30k | $1,776 |
| $30k–$48k | $4,070 |
| $48k–$75k | $6,796 |
| $75k–$110k | $14,311 |
| Over $110k | $49,992 |
Sticker cost of attendance: $88,140. GPA context: ~3.9 UW avg.
What the whole degree costs
Every cost figure above is one year. A bachelor's degree is four — sometimes five. Today's-prices makes no assumptions; the second column assumes prices rise ~3.5% a year, in line with recent averages.
| Household income | 4 yrs, today's prices | 4 yrs with increases |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30k | $7,104 | $7,486 |
| $30k–$48k | $16,280 | $17,155 |
| $48k–$75k | $27,184 | $28,645 |
| $75k–$110k | $57,244 | $60,320 |
| Over $110k | $199,968 | $210,713 |
First-year aid is not guaranteed to repeat — ask Cornell University how grants change after year one. That answer moves these numbers more than anything else on this page.
Applying to a specific major at Cornell University
9% is the acceptance rate for the whole university — not for every major. For the programs below, admission is usually decided separately and is harder than that number suggests. Almost no university publishes a by-major admission rate, and neither does the federal government, so we do not show one: any site that does is estimating.
To find the real figure for your major, check Cornell University's Common Data Set and its admissions page, or ask an admissions officer directly — that question gets answered more often than students expect.
Reported admit rates by college at Cornell University
Reported figures disagree| College or program | Admit rate |
|---|---|
| College of Arts & Sciences | ~6–9% |
| College of Engineering | ~6–9% |
| Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS) | ~9–17% |
| University overall | 8.5% |
Cornell admits to seven undergraduate colleges with genuinely different selectivity. Credible sources disagree on the exact figures — CALS in particular has been reported anywhere from roughly 9% to 17% depending on cycle and source — so treat these as directional and check Cornell’s own factbook.
Figures as reported for recent cycles. Verify the current cycle at irp.dpb.cornell.edu.
At Cornell University: 713 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $122,485 median earnings (Computer Science.)
Applicant demand has grown far faster than faculty and seats, so many universities cap CS enrollment, admit to it directly, or require a competitive internal application after enrolling.
Check: Whether the school admits to CS directly, and whether switching into CS later is restricted — the answer changes your real odds more than your test scores do.
At Cornell University: 232 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $74,687 median earnings (Mechanical Engineering.)
Most engineering colleges admit students directly into the college rather than the university at large, and review them against a separate, usually more selective pool.
Check: Whether you apply to the engineering college directly, and what happens if you are not admitted — some schools offer general admission with a later transfer path, others do not.
At Cornell University: 563 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $61,124 median earnings (Hospitality Administration/Management.)
Many undergraduate business schools admit their own cohort at application time and are more selective than the university overall; others admit only after two years of coursework.
Check: Whether the business school is direct-admit for first-years, and if not, what GPA the internal application actually requires.
Federal data shows no bachelor's completions at Cornell University in nursing, architecture or visual & performing arts, so those are not listed above. Small or new programs can be missing from federal reporting — confirm with the school before ruling one out.
What graduates earn, by major
Median earnings and median federal loan debt for bachelor's graduates of Cornell University, by field of study, from the U.S. Department of Education. Earnings differ far more between majors at one school than between schools.
| Major | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. · Computer Science | $122,485 | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management. · Business | $61,124 | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services. · Business | $69,338 | — |
| Agricultural Business and Management. | $80,747 | — |
| Biology, General. · Biological Sciences | $27,784 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. · Computer Science | $82,641 | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other. · Biological Sciences | $38,505 | — |
| Economics. · Social Sciences | $69,948 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering. · Engineering | $74,687 | — |
| Political Science and Government. · Social Sciences | $52,107 | — |
| Mathematics. · Mathematics & Statistics | $91,211 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. · Engineering | $92,277 | — |
Largest programs shown. Earnings are measured a few years after graduation and reflect who enrolls as much as what is taught.
Is Cornell University a reach, target, or safety for you?
Ladder2College models your personal admission odds and net cost here — based on your GPA, scores, and family income — and shows how it fits alongside the rest of your list.
Model my odds & cost — freeFigures are estimates modeled on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data and recent reporting, provided for guidance only. Always confirm cost with Cornell University’s official net price calculator and admissions figures with the school directly.