Cornell vs. Pitt

Should I go to Cornell University or University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cornell or Pitt is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Cornell University vs. University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus comparison
Cornell University University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus College 3 College 4
Cornell University University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus
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Overview

Cornell Pitt
Location Ithaca, NY Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 25,898 33,767
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #128
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu pitt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell Pitt
Tuition (In State) $62,456 $19,760
Tuition (Out of State) $62,456 $36,000
Room & Board $16,988 $12,360
Avg Net Price $26,060 $24,286
Avg Grant Aid $54,219 $10,919
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 85%

Admission

Cornell Pitt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,195 53,072
Admitted 5,168 26,079
Acceptance Rate 7.5% 49.1%
Enrolled % 67.6% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 29/33
SAT Range 1470/1570 1280/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2024

Academics

Cornell Pitt
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

Cornell Pitt
Graduation Rate 93% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $26,909
Median Loan Payment $124 $278

Diversity

Cornell Pitt
% Men 47% 42%
% Women 53% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 41% 74%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 10% 4%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

Cornell Pitt
% In-State 33% 54%
% Out-of-State 55% 40%

Campus

Cornell Pitt
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (33,767 students vs. 25,898 students)

Cornell vs. Pitt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Pitt?

  • Cornell University is 216.1% more expensive to attend than Pitt for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $19,760.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.5% higher at Cornell than University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus ($62,456.00 vs. $36,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Cornell ($24,286 vs. $26,060)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus are 37.4% lower than costs at Cornell University ($12,360 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Cornell University (85% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 396.6% larger than aid received University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus ($54,219 vs. $10,919)

Cornell vs. Pitt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cornell or Pitt? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Pitt or Cornell .

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 156 points higher than at Pitt (1272)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Pitt (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Pitt (3.79)
  • Pitt has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than Cornell (7.5%)

Cornell vs. Pitt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell or Pitt? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Pitt and Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (93% vs. 79%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $40,400 more per year than Pitt graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $58,000)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $14,909 lower median federal student loan debt than Pitt graduates. ($12,000 vs. $26,909)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $154 less per month on federal student loans than Pitt graduates. ($124 vs. $278)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pitt students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/