Harvard vs. Cornell

Should I go to Harvard University or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard 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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Harvard University vs. Cornell University comparison
Harvard University Cornell University College 3 College 4
Harvard University Cornell University
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Overview

Harvard Cornell
Location Cambridge, MA Ithaca, NY
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 30,631 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Cornell
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $62,456
Room & Board $19,502 $16,988
Avg Net Price $19,491 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 51%

Admission

Harvard Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 69,195
Admitted 1,984 5,168
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 7.5%
Enrolled % 83% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.9
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 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 1, 2024 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

Harvard Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

Harvard Cornell
Graduation Rate 97% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $67 $124

Diversity

Harvard Cornell
% Men 46% 47%
% Women 54% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 41%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

Harvard Cornell
% In-State 15% 33%
% Out-of-State 69% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 25,898 students)

Harvard vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 18.6% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.6% higher at Cornell than Harvard University ($62,456.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Cornell ($19,491 vs. $26,060)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 14.8% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,988 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Cornell University (56% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 14% larger than aid received Cornell University ($61,801 vs. $54,219)

Harvard vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 69 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Cornell (3.9)
  • Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (7.5%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard 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 Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Cornell University (97% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $38,300 more per year than Cornell graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $98,400)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell graduates. ($6,500 vs. $12,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell graduates. ($67 vs. $124)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 70%)

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