10-yr median earnings
$104,043
Federal aid recipients only
Private Nonprofit · Ithaca, New York
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private nonprofit institution in Ithaca, New York. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.
- $104,043
- 10-yr median earnings
- 8.8%
- Acceptance rate
- $28,690
- Avg net price / yr
- 95.3%
- 150%-time completion
The verdict
Cornell University pairs top-1% former-student earnings with a highly selective admit.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 1%
- former-student earnings, US
- 8.8%
- acceptance rate
- 95.3%
- 150%-time completion
- +18%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small
Carnegie: R1
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this Cornell University profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
B
College Value Score
74/100
Cornell University
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings A+
$104,043
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$28,690
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate A+
95.3%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt D
$14,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A+
90.5%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention A+
98.4%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$28,690
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
95.3%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 95.3%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - Cornell University vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How Cornell University ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
Cornell University: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$104,043 Top 1% higher than 99% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | Cornell University | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $104,043 | #34 of 5103 | 99th |
| Average net price | $28,690 | #4351 of 5020 | 13th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 95.3% | #65 of 4858 | 99th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 15,995 | #190 of 5462 | 97th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
15,995
Undergraduate enrollment
8.8%
Acceptance rate
1,535
SAT average
95.3%
150%-time completion
$104,043
10-yr median earnings
98.4%
First-year retention
How Cornell University ranks in New York
State rank among 299 reporting New York colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | Cornell University | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $104,043 | #8 of 299 | 97th |
| Average net price | $28,690 | #258 of 328 | 21st (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 95.3% | #11 of 322 | 97th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 15,995 | #7 of 367 | 98th |
Highest former-student earnings in New York
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | $131,426 | $29,882 |
| 2 | Helene Fuld College of Nursing | $111,027 | $47,181 |
| 3 | SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University | $109,601 | - |
| 4 | Center for Allied Health Education | $107,249 | $48,150 |
| 5 | Miami Ad School-New York | $106,192 | - |
| 6 | St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens | $104,403 | $26,315 |
| 7 | Cornell UniversityThis school | $104,043 | $28,690 |
| 8 | Weill Medical College of Cornell University | $104,043 | - |
| 9 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $102,491 | $21,590 |
| 10 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $102,051 | $36,228 |
| 11 | Cochran School of Nursing | $99,503 | - |
| 12 | Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing | $96,980 | - |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 8.8% |
| SAT Average | 1,535 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 770 – 800 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 730 – 770 |
| ACT Average | 34 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 33 – 35 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at Cornell University
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k $1,776
$0 – $30k
$1,776 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k $4,070
$30k – $48k
$4,070 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k $6,796
$48k – $75k
$6,796 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$49,992 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Cornell University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $69,314 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $69,314 |
| Average Net Price | $28,690 |
18.4%
Pell Grant Rate
17.8%
Federal Loan Rate
$14,000
Median Debt
$148/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at Cornell University swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $26,484 to $40,126 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +22.1%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$26,484
Highest year
$40,126
Most recent (2023)
$32,337
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $26,4842023 · $32,337
Over the same years, enrollment went +11.4% (14,309 → 15,935 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
53.4%
Female
15.4%
First Generation
Outcomes
98.4%
Retention Rate
$87,830
Median Earnings (6yr)
85.1%
Earning Over $25K
90.5%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 95.3% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 98.4% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $87,830 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $104,043 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 85.1% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 90.5% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $14,000 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $148/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 53 | 4,108 | $100,444 | $223,309 | $14,583 |
| Master's | 22 | 2,360 | $137,959 | $235,762 | $70,387 |
| Doctoral | 3 | 13 | $201,638 | $259,851 | $155,187 |
| First Professional | 1 | 0 | $103,352 | $103,352 | - |
| Post-baccalaureate Certificate | 1 | 0 | - | - | - |
Top programs at Cornell University by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Law
Law
$259,851 median earnings
- Computer Science
Computer Science
$235,762 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$226,632 median earnings
- Computer Science
Computer Science
$223,309 median earnings
- Operations Research
Operations Research
$203,340 median earnings
- Computer and Information S…
Computer and Information Sciences, General
$196,882 median earnings
- Allied Health Diagnostic, …
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
$163,586 median earnings
- Electrical, Electronics, a…
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
$156,103 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law | Doctoral | - | $259,851 | $162,160 |
| Computer Science | Master's | 332 | $235,762 | $34,528 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's | 590 | $226,632 | $129,912 |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's | 504 | $223,309 | $14,750 |
| Operations Research | Master's | 144 | $203,340 | - |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Master's | 167 | $196,882 | $73,233 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's | - | $163,586 | - |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Master's | 119 | $156,103 | - |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Master's | 104 | $155,909 | $44,500 |
| Operations Research | Bachelor's | 80 | $151,709 | $15,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's | 87 | $147,241 | $14,725 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Bachelor's | 190 | $145,218 | $12,500 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's | 220 | $144,389 | $15,500 |
| Veterinary Medicine | Doctoral | - | $143,425 | $148,213 |
| Systems Engineering | Master's | 118 | $142,846 | - |
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Explore Data-Matched Colleges
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Other Private Nonprofit institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Private Nonprofit institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Cornell University? ▼
Cornell University is a private nonprofit institution in Ithaca, New York. The acceptance rate is 8.8%. The average SAT score is 1,535. Undergraduate enrollment is 15,995 students.
How much do Cornell University former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at Cornell University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $104,043 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $87,830.
How much does Cornell University cost? ▼
The average net price at Cornell University is $28,690. In-state tuition is $69,314 and out-of-state tuition is $69,314. Median student debt at graduation is $14,000.
What is the graduation rate at Cornell University? ▼
Cornell University has a 95.3% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 98.4%.
Is Cornell University worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at Cornell University is $14,000, while former students earn a median of $104,043 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 13% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 90.5% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $148.
Sources & methodology
Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.
Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from Cornell University
- Compare Cornell University against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in New York side by side.Browse New York
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.