Cornell vs. Penn State vs. AU

Should I go to Cornell University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cornell or Penn State 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 Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass Princeton UB Georgetown Penn NYU
Cornell University vs. Penn State Main Campus vs. American University comparison
Cornell University Penn State Main Campus American University College 4
Cornell University Penn State Main Campus American University
Remove Remove Remove +Add

Overview

 Cornell Penn State AU
Location Ithaca, NY University Park, PA Washington, DC
Setting Small City Small City Large City
Enrollment 26,264 50,399 13,019
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #171 #84
Religious Affiliation - - United Methodist -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu psu.edu american.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Cornell Penn State AU
Tuition (In State) $65,204 $19,672 $55,724
Tuition (Out of State) $65,204 $39,626 $55,724
Room & Board $18,554 $13,030 $17,012
Avg Net Price $26,455 $27,450 $40,189
Avg Grant Aid $56,741 $11,577 $31,402
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 36% 62%

Admission

 Cornell Penn State AU
Applied 65,635 85,956 17,786
Admitted 5,358 46,605 8,427
Acceptance Rate 8.2% 54.2% 47.4%
Enrolled % 66% 19.4% 22%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 - 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- - A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low Low
ACT Range 33/35 27/32 29/33
SAT Range 1480/1560 1220/1400 1300/1450
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Cornell Penn State AU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)

Outcomes

 Cornell Penn State AU
Graduation Rate 93% 87% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $55,300 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 69% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $26,818 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $124 $277 $250

Diversity

 Cornell Penn State AU
% Men 19% 8% 15%
% Women 20% 8% 25%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium High
HBCU No No No
% White 41% 69% 58%
% Black 6% 4% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 6% 12%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3% 5%
% International 10% 11% 7%
% Unknown Race 8% 2% 4%

Students

 Cornell Penn State AU
% In-State 32% 51% 2%
% Out-of-State 55% 40% 94%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 26,264 students)

Cornell vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or Penn State?

  • Cornell University is 231.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.5% higher at Cornell than Penn State Main Campus ($65,204.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Penn State ($26,455 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 42.4% lower than costs at Cornell University ($13,030 vs. $18,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than Penn State Main Campus (51% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 390.1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($56,741 vs. $11,577)

Cornell vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 226 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Cornell (8.2%)

Cornell vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Penn State Main Campus (93% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $43,100 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $55,300)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $14,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($12,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $153 less per month on federal student loans 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/