Cornell vs. Penn State

Deciding between Cornell University and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Cornell University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cornell Ithaca, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Cornell Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Cornell 26,793
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Cornell Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cornell #19
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cornell -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Cornell Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cornell
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cornell $69,314
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cornell $69,314
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Cornell $19,428
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Cornell $26,361
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cornell $61,779
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cornell 48%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cornell 62,993
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Cornell 5,516
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cornell 8.8%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Cornell 63.9%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cornell 1540
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cornell 34
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cornell 3.9
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cornell A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cornell Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cornell Extreme
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Cornell 33/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Cornell 1500/1570
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cornell Required
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Cornell Jan 2, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cornell 9:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cornell
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Agriculture (13%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cornell 93%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cornell $98,400
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cornell 87%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cornell $12,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cornell $124
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cornell 47%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Cornell 53%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cornell Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Cornell No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Cornell 41%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Cornell 18%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Cornell 6%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cornell 12%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Cornell 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cornell 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cornell 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Cornell 10%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cornell 8%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cornell 32%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cornell 55%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cornell Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cornell No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Cornell Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cornell No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cornell No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Cornell University in Ithaca, NY with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Cornell based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 26,793 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Cornell University is located in Ithaca, NY (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Cornell University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Cornell University 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Cornell vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Penn State ($26,361 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 25.5% lower than at Cornell University ($14,474 vs. $19,428).
  • Cornell University is 235.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $48,670 more per year; $69,314.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 65.9% higher at Cornell than at Penn State Main Campus (about $27,524 more per year; $69,314.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cornell University than at Penn State Main Campus (48% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 445% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($61,779 vs. $11,336).

Cornell vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cornell or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Cornell.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Cornell University (1540) is 210 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Cornell University 1500/1570; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Cornell University 33/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cornell - Required; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Cornell Jan 2, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Cornell (8.8%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 63.9% at Cornell vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Cornell vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cornell and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Cornell University's six-year graduation rate (93%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn a median of about $43,100 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($98,400 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Cornell University graduates have a $14,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($12,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Cornell graduates have an estimated $153 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($124 vs. $277).
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.