Cornell University
Cornell University — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
What we think of Cornell University
Cornell is the biggest and most sprawling Ivy — 16,000 undergraduates across seven colleges — and it works differently from Harvard, Yale, or Princeton because of its "contract college" structure. Three of Cornell's undergraduate colleges (Agriculture and Life Sciences, Human Ecology, and Industrial and Labor Relations) are state-supported and offer meaningful in-state tuition discounts to New York residents. That single feature is why Cornell's value story is different from every other Ivy.
Median earnings of $104,043 against a $28,690 average net price produce a 1.1-year payback. That is respectable but noticeably worse than Princeton, MIT, or Harvard on the same admissions tier. The reason is aid formula: Cornell meets full demonstrated need, but its formula assumes higher family contributions than HYP at comparable income levels. For NY residents admitted to a contract college, the effective net price is often well below the university average.
Program strengths concentrate in engineering (top-5 nationally), computer science, architecture, veterinary medicine, and the SC Johnson College of Business. The Nolan School of Hotel Administration is uniquely dominant globally — no comparable program exists at a peer university. For those specific programs, Cornell is either the top choice or a leading contender regardless of aid math.
Bottom line: Cornell is the Ivy most likely to admit a strong applicant who does not get into HYP, which is a real feature. For engineering, CS, architecture, hospitality, or agricultural sciences, apply on program merits. For a general strong-undergraduate degree, compare the specific aid letter carefully — if you are admitted to a top-value Ivy or Ivy-plus, that offer will usually be cheaper. New York residents should specifically look at contract-college admission as a distinct financial path.
Cornell University at a Glance
Cornell University is a private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson White in 1865. Since its founding, Cornell University has been a co-educational and nonsectarian institution. As of fall 2024, the student body included 16,128 undergraduate and 10,665 postgraduate students from all 50 U.S. states and 130 countries.
1865
161 years old
$11.8B
$11.8 billion (2025)
26,793
16,128 undergrad · 10,665 grad
1,639
745 acres
Identity
How to Apply to Cornell University
Official admissions pageJanuary 2
November 1 (Early Decision, binding)
$80
Fee waiver available
2 required
Testing policy
Recommendation letters
Essays
Fee waiver
Is Cornell University Worth It?
Cornell University is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $28,690/year net price and $104,043 median earnings, graduates earn 3.6× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.1 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
With a 95% graduation rate, the vast majority of students finish their degree and reach these earning outcomes.
The catch: admission is extremely selective at just 9%, making this an option only for top-tier applicants.
Median student debt of $14,000 is manageable at just 13% of first-year post-graduation earnings.
Bottom line: Cornell University delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How Cornell University compares to peer private nonprofit colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #11 of 21 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Yale University | 100 | $23,777 | $100,533 |
| #2 | University of Chicago | 100 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
| #3 | Harvard University | 100 | $19,066 | $101,817 |
| #4 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 100 | $21,590 | $102,491 |
| #5 | Vanderbilt University | 100 | $15,846 | $91,565 |
| #6 | Stanford University | 100 | $13,807 | $124,080 |
| #11 | Cornell University | 86 | $28,690 | $104,043 |
Peer group: private nonprofit colleges within ±60% of Cornell University's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 1 in NY.
Best Programs at Cornell University
The highest-earning program at Cornell University is Computer Science at $116,300/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Animal Sciences at $26,300/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Computer Science graduate from Cornell University earns $116,300, while a Animal Sciences graduate earns $26,300. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Computer Science graduates carry $13,500 in median debt vs. $11,000 for Animal Sciences.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $28,690/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $116,300 | $116,300 | $13,500 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $87,200 | $87,200 | $12,445 |
| Operations Research | $79,900 | $79,900 | $13,500 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $79,600 | $79,600 | $13,678 |
| Chemical Engineering | $77,500 | $77,500 | $13,538 |
| Mathematics | $76,300 | $76,300 | $14,308 |
| Engineering, General | $73,900 | $73,900 | N/A |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $73,300 | $73,300 | $13,400 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $72,700 | $72,700 | $13,593 |
| Economics | $67,500 | $67,500 | $13,250 |
| Civil Engineering | $67,100 | $67,100 | $15,736 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $66,700 | $66,700 | $13,500 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $57,900 | $57,900 | $11,937 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $55,500 | $55,500 | $13,500 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $51,200 | $51,200 | $13,179 |
| Architecture | $48,400 | $48,400 | $17,500 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $47,100 | $47,100 | $13,500 |
| Political Science and Government | $45,100 | $45,100 | $13,082 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $44,400 | $44,400 | $8,297 |
| Psychology, General | $43,300 | $43,300 | $16,500 |
| Area Studies | $40,800 | $40,800 | $14,125 |
| City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning | $38,500 | $38,500 | $12,950 |
| Sociology | $38,100 | $38,100 | $11,312 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $38,000 | $38,000 | $13,681 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | $36,200 | $36,200 | $12,393 |
| Agriculture, General | $35,500 | $35,500 | $12,750 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $35,400 | $35,400 | $14,655 |
| Biology, General | $32,800 | $32,800 | $13,150 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $32,200 | $32,200 | $14,165 |
| Chemistry | $31,000 | $31,000 | $15,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $28,000 | $28,000 | $11,241 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $26,700 | $26,700 | $13,500 |
| Animal Sciences | $26,300 | $26,300 | $11,000 |
Similar Colleges in NY
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- private
- Location
- Ithaca, NY
- Student Body
- 15,995 students
- Admission Rate
- 9%
- Graduation Rate
- 95%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $28,690
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $104,043
- Median Student Debt
- $14,000