UMBC vs. Cornell

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

UMBC Cornell
Location Baltimore, MD Ithaca, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 13,991 25,898
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UMBC Cornell
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $62,456
Room & Board $13,378 $16,988
Avg Net Price $17,692 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 51%

Admission

UMBC Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 69,195
Admitted 9,291 5,168
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 7.5%
Enrolled % 23.1% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 23/29 33/35
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2024 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

UMBC Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

UMBC Cornell
Graduation Rate 57% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $219 $124

Diversity

UMBC Cornell
% Men 53% 47%
% Women 47% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 41%
% Black 17% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

UMBC Cornell
% In-State 90% 33%
% Out-of-State 5% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cornell University is larger than than UMBC based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 589.7% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 141.9% higher at Cornell than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($62,456.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Cornell ($17,692 vs. $26,060)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 27% lower than costs at Cornell University ($13,378 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Cornell University (92% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 510% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($54,219 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 219 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Cornell (3.9)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Cornell (7.5%)

UMBC vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (93% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $38,900 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $59,500)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $9,197 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($12,000 vs. $21,197)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $95 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($124 vs. $219)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 67%)

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