AU vs. Cornell

Should I go to American University or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Cornell 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

George Washington Princeton Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern Yale Dartmouth
American University vs. Cornell University comparison
American University Cornell University College 3 College 4
American University Cornell University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

AU Cornell
Location Washington, DC Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 13,885 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #19
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Cornell
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $62,456
Room & Board $15,706 $16,988
Avg Net Price $41,369 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 51%

Admission

AU Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 69,195
Admitted 7,926 5,168
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 7.5%
Enrolled % 22.2% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/32 33/35
SAT Range 1290/1430 1470/1570
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 15, 2024 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

AU Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

AU Cornell
Graduation Rate 77% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $124

Diversity

AU Cornell
% Men 37% 47%
% Women 63% 53%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 41%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

AU Cornell
% In-State 2% 33%
% Out-of-State 94% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cornell University is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 13,885 students)

AU vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 17.7% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.7% higher at Cornell than American University ($62,456.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than AU ($26,060 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 8.2% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,706 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Cornell University (66% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 99.8% larger than aid received American University ($54,219 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 176 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at AU (3.7)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than Cornell (7.5%)

AU vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Cornell? 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 Cornell and AU.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than American University (93% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $33,600 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $64,800)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $12,250 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($12,000 vs. $24,250)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $126 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($124 vs. $250)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

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