Cornell University combines highly selective admissions with exceptional post-graduation outcomes. As a Selective Achievers institution, the university produces graduates earning in the 99th percentile nationally while maintaining debt levels well below peer institutions, creating outstanding return on investment for students who gain admission.
With exceptional tier designation, reflecting the university's outstanding ability to generate long-term earnings outcomes relative to educational investment
With below-average tier performance, reflecting higher net costs typical of elite private institutions
With excellent tier performance, indicating above-average enrollment of Pell-eligible and first-generation students despite selective admissions
With excellent tier designation, demonstrating Cornell's effectiveness in converting educational opportunity into economic advancement
Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Full AnalysisCornell delivers exceptional return on investment through outstanding graduate earnings with controlled debt levels. Graduates earn a median of $104,043 ten years after enrollment, ranking in the 99th percentile nationally among all four-year institutions.
Earnings span from $67,090 at the 25th percentile to $166,446 at the 75th percentile, reflecting diverse academic programs from agriculture to computer science. The institution generates $710 in earnings beyond expectations, placing it at the 59th percentile nationally on this value-added measure.
Students seeking top-tier outcomes in STEM and business fields who can navigate highly competitive admission. Well-suited for academically exceptional students comfortable with Cornell's 8.2% acceptance rate but wanting strong return on investment.
The Selective Achievers profile reflects outstanding earnings with more limited access for lower-income students compared to public alternatives.
Cornell admits approximately 8.2% of applicants, meaning roughly 1 in 12 applicants receives an offer of admission. This places Cornell among the most selective universities in the United States, with acceptance rates well below most four-year institutions.
The peer median admission rate of 69.4% highlights the substantial difference between Cornell's selectivity and typical private universities. Even among elite private research universities, Cornell's acceptance rate places it in highly competitive territory alongside Ivy League institutions and similar selective colleges.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Cornell's published cost of attendance reaches $83,196 annually—comprising $66,014 in tuition, $18,554 for room and board, and $1,354 for books and supplies. However, the average student pays $32,337 after financial aid, representing substantial savings of $50,859 from the sticker price.
This net price falls slightly below the peer median of $33,531, indicating competitive pricing relative to similar selective private institutions despite Cornell's premium positioning. The financial aid system creates dramatic cost variations based on family income, with net prices ranging from $4,079 for families earning under $30,000 to $51,735 for families earning over $110,000.
This progressive pricing structure means that families across different income levels face substantially different educational investments. The $47,656 gap between the lowest and highest income tiers demonstrates Cornell's commitment to need-based financial aid while maintaining revenue from higher-income families.
Students and families should focus on net price rather than sticker price when evaluating Cornell's affordability, as the published cost provides limited insight into actual family financial obligations after institutional grant aid.
Computer Science.
396 graduates
Operations Research.
89 graduates
Algebra and Number Theory.
93 graduates
Bioinformatics.
37 graduates
Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
100 graduates
Consider these schools with similar outcomes but higher acceptance rates:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Higher acceptance rate (50.3 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | NY | 58% | $102,051 | Compare |
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This is the Cornell University hub overview page. For comprehensive institutional data including detailed charts and metrics, visit the full analysis at /school/cornell-university/analysis.
Exceptional return on investment
Cornell University ranks #62 nationally in Azimuth's comprehensive analysis, with return performance at the 97.8th percentile representing exceptional outcomes. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private research university maintains highly selective admission standards with an 8.2% acceptance rate while delivering outstanding post-graduation earnings.
Cornell enrolls 18.2% Pell-eligible students and 15.4% first-generation students, below typical levels for institutions of this size but consistent with selective private universities. Graduates earn $710 beyond expectations relative to similar students, ranking at the 59th percentile nationally on this measure.
Median earnings reach $104,043 ten years after enrollment, placing Cornell in the 99th percentile for long-term earnings performance. Compared to a peer median of $76,571, graduates earn $27,472 more annually.
This combination of highly selective admissions, strong but not exceptional access measures, and outstanding economic outcomes places Cornell firmly within the Selective Achievers quadrant, where institutions deliver exceptional results while serving fewer low-income students than peers.
This level of selectivity means that even exceptionally qualified students—those with perfect test scores, outstanding academic records, and strong extracurricular achievements—face significant uncertainty in the admission process. The high volume of qualified applicants means that many students who would thrive at Cornell do not receive admission simply due to limited enrollment capacity.
Cornell's admission process evaluates applicants holistically, but the mathematical reality is that most qualified candidates will not gain admission. For this reason, students considering Cornell should treat it as a reach school regardless of their qualifications and build comprehensive college lists that include institutions with higher acceptance rates but comparable academic quality and career outcomes.
Students should expect multiple years of preparation and understand that admission outcomes at this selectivity level involve factors beyond individual qualifications.
Cornell graduates demonstrate robust earnings growth throughout their careers with outcomes based on substantial cohort sizes. Median earnings rise from $87,830 six years after enrollment to $97,098 at eight years and $104,043 at ten years, representing 18.5% growth from the six-year mark.
These outcomes reflect data from 2,027 graduates in the ten-year cohort, 1,711 graduates at eight years, and 1,519 graduates at six years, providing high confidence in reported figures. Graduates earn $710 beyond expectations compared to similar students nationally, placing Cornell at the 59th percentile for earnings uplift relative to student demographics and institutional characteristics.
Low-income graduates earn $114,500, ranking among the top 5% nationally and demonstrating the institution's ability to generate strong outcomes across economic backgrounds. Earnings distribution shows meaningful variation, with the gap between the 25th percentile ($67,090) and 75th percentile ($166,446) reflecting differences in program choice and career trajectory.
Approximately 21.2% of graduates continue to graduate or professional study, indicating strong preparation for both immediate workforce entry and advanced education pathways.
Cornell offers 20 bachelor's degree programs with comprehensive federal earnings data for national ranking comparison. Computer Science ranks #6 nationally and #1 in New York, producing 396 graduates with exceptional median earnings of $185,679 and a value score of 97.3, making it one of the institution's flagship programs.
Operations Research ranks #1 nationally, graduating 89 students with median earnings of $129,529 and a perfect value score of 100.0. Applied Economics ranks #18 nationally and #2 in New York, graduating 169 students with median earnings of $107,248.
Mechanical Engineering ranks #11 nationally and #1 in New York, with 156 graduates earning $97,093 annually. Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations demonstrates Cornell's agricultural heritage, ranking #1 nationally with 194 graduates earning $113,850.
Executive/Career Coaching and Brewery/Brewpub Operations/Management both rank #1 nationally with perfect value scores, reflecting Cornell's innovation in specialized business applications. These rankings underscore Cornell's strength across diverse academic areas from traditional STEM fields to innovative business specializations.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Higher acceptance rate (50.3 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | MA | 59% | $103,470 | Compare |
Colgate University Same state (55 miles away) (earnings difference: 18.2%); same institution type | NY | 12% | $85,139 | Compare |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Same state with nearly identical earnings and similar program focus; same institution type | NY | 58% | $102,051 | Compare |
Clarkson University Same state (earnings difference: 13.8%) and similar program focus; same institution type | NY | 77% | $89,696 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yale University Similar quality tier in Northeast (#67 ranked) | CT | 5% | $100,533 | #67 | Compare |
Columbia University In The City Of New York Similar quality tier in Northeast (#53 ranked) | NY | 4% | $102,491 | #53 | Compare |
Vanderbilt University Similar quality tier (#69 ranked) | TN | 6% | $91,565 | #69 | Compare |
University Of Southern California Similar quality tier (#74 ranked) | CA | 10% | $92,498 | #74 | Compare |
University Of Pennsylvania Similar quality tier in Northeast (#80 ranked) | PA | 6% | $111,371 | #80 | Compare |
