Hamilton College vs Cornell University

Clinton, NY · Ithaca, NY · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair NY:NY

PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · SAME-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-PAR · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • SAME-STATE Same state · NY
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-PAR Net near-par
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-RACE · narrow · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Nearly parallel enrollment growth

ENROLL-RACE · narrow · 2013–2023

Undergraduate headcount rose at both Hamilton College and Cornell University across 2013–2023 on similar paces, while acceptance rates tightened on both sides, a growth-under-squeeze pattern rather than a pure size race.

  • Cornell University: enrollment grew +11.4% over 2013–2023; fitted +168 students/yr fitted, r² 0.87.
  • Hamilton College: enrollment grew +7.1% over 2013–2023; fitted +20 students/yr fitted, r² 0.66.
  • Hamilton College: acceptance rate tightened -56.7% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.93).
  • Cornell University: acceptance rate tightened -47.6% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.94).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Hamilton College vs Cornell University

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Cornell University leads on acceptance rate (8.8% vs 13.6% at Hamilton College)
  2. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Cornell University leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($87,830 vs $60,082 at Hamilton College)
  3. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(1 Cornell University leads on median earnings (10 yr) ($104,043 vs $78,411 at Hamilton College)

Hamilton College profile · Cornell University profile · Compare other colleges

Also on the Scorecard board

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between Hamilton College and Cornell University?▼
Cornell University leads on acceptance rate at 8.8% versus 13.6% at Hamilton College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between Hamilton College and Cornell University?▼
Cornell University leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $87,830 versus $60,082 at Hamilton College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (10 yr), who leads between Hamilton College and Cornell University?▼
Cornell University leads on median earnings (10 yr) at $104,043 versus $78,411 at Hamilton College. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025