Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Cornell graduates experience steady earnings growth from early to mid-career periods, demonstrating consistent upward mobility. Earnings rise from $87,830 at six years post-enrollment to $97,098 at eight years and $104,043 at ten years, representing 18.5% growth between the six-year and ten-year marks.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Strong relative performance — graduates earn notably more than peers at comparable institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $14,000 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
Cornell graduates demonstrate exceptional debt management compared to similar institutions and national averages. Median student debt reaches just $14,000 at graduation, substantially below the peer median of $23,168, representing a $9,168 advantage in debt management.
Cornell demonstrates exceptional return on educational investment, ranking at the 97.8th percentile nationally with among the highest return metrics we track. Graduates earn $710 beyond expectations compared to similar students at other institutions, placing Cornell at the 59th percentile for earnings uplift.
Approximately 21.2% of Cornell graduates continue to graduate or professional school programs, with high confidence in this estimate based on program ...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Cornell's highest-earning programs demonstrate exceptional performance in high-demand fields with strong market positioning. Computer Science leads with graduates earning $185,679 and ranking #6 nationally, followed by Operations Research at $129,529 ranking #1 nationally.
Mathematics programs in Algebra and Number Theory produce graduates earning $127,962, while engineering programs consistently deliver strong outcomes with Electrical Engineering at $118,743 and Mechanical Engineering at $97,093. Applied Economics graduates earn $107,248, ranking #18 nationally and demonstrating Cornell's strength in quantitative social sciences.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Cornell's earnings distribution reveals significant variation in graduate outcomes reflecting diverse academic programs and career paths. The gap between 25th percentile earnings ($67,090) and 75th percentile earnings ($166,446) represents a 2.5:1 ratio, indicating that program choice and career decisions substantially impact long-term financial results.
