Colgate vs. Cornell

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

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Colgate University vs. Cornell University comparison
Colgate University Cornell University College 3 College 4
Colgate University Cornell University
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Overview

Colgate Cornell
Location Hamilton, NY Ithaca, NY
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 3,141 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #27 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colgate.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colgate Cornell
Tuition (In State) $63,904 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $63,904 $62,456
Room & Board $16,106 $16,988
Avg Net Price $27,074 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $54,647 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 51%

Admission

Colgate Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,109 69,195
Admitted 2,624 5,168
Acceptance Rate 12.4% 7.5%
Enrolled % 30.9% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 32/34 33/35
SAT Range 1410/1530 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

Colgate Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

Colgate Cornell
Graduation Rate 92% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $75,300 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,125 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $166 $124

Diversity

Colgate Cornell
% Men 44% 47%
% Women 56% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 41%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 9% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

Colgate Cornell
% In-State 19% 33%
% Out-of-State 71% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cornell University is larger than than Colgate based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 3,141 students)

Colgate vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colgate or Cornell?

  • Colgate University is 2.3% more expensive to attend than Cornell for in-state tuition ($63,904.00 vs. $62,456.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.3% higher at Colgate than Cornell University ($63,904.00 vs. $62,456.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Colgate ($26,060 vs. $27,074)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colgate University are 5.5% lower than costs at Cornell University ($16,106 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than Colgate University (51% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colgate University students is 0.8% larger than aid received Cornell University ($54,647 vs. $54,219)

Colgate vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 54 points higher than at Colgate (1374)
  • Incoming Colgate students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Colgate (3.77)
  • Colgate has a higher acceptance rate (12.4%) than Cornell (7.5%)

Colgate vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colgate 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 Colgate.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Colgate University (93% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $23,100 more per year than Colgate graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $75,300)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $4,125 lower median federal student loan debt than Colgate graduates. ($12,000 vs. $16,125)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Colgate graduates. ($124 vs. $166)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colgate students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)

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