All the numbers
Every figure, side by side
Everything we have for Cornell and Northwestern, grouped like the topic pages. Differences only hides the rows where they match or only one reports.
Every row, including ones where these colleges match.
| Metric | Cornell | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | ||
| Admissions data | Fall 20252025-26 | Fall 2024 |
| Acceptance rate | 8.4%2025-26 | 7.7% |
| Acceptance rate, men / women | 7.8% / 9.8% | 7.3% / 8.1% |
| Acceptance rate, in-state / other states / international | 13% / 9.0% / 3.6%Fall 2025 | Not published |
| Yield, in-state / other states / international | 69% / 61% / 59%Fall 2025 | Not published |
| Applicants | 72,5232025-26 | 49,474 |
| Admitted | 6,0772025-26 | 3,806 |
| Enrolled | 3,8272025-26 | 2,105 |
| Yield | 63%2025-26 | 55% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1490–1550Fall 2025 | 1510–1570 |
| ACT middle 50% | 33–35Fall 2025 | 33–35 |
| Sent an SAT | 1,639 (43%)Fall 2025 | – |
| Sent an ACT | 486 (13%)Fall 2025 | – |
| Scored 1400+ on the SAT | 93%Fall 2025 | – |
| Scored 30+ on the ACT | 95%Fall 2025 | – |
| Admission: High school GPA | ImportantFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: High school record | Required | Required |
| Admission: Class rank | ImportantFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: College-prep program | Considered | Required |
| Admission: Recommendations | Very importantFall 2025 | Required |
| Admission: Essay | Very importantFall 2025 | Required |
| Admission: Legacy status | ConsideredFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: Work experience | ConsideredFall 2025 | Considered |
| Admission: Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Not considered |
| Admission: English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Admission: Other tests | Considered | Not considered |
| Average high school GPA | – | – |
| First-years in the top tenth of their class | 84% (of the 12% with a rank)Fall 2025 | – |
| Early decision | 19% of 10,057 admittedFall 2025 | – |
| Early action | – | – |
| Wait list | 254 admitted of 6,598 who acceptedFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Rigor of high school record | Very importantFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Test scores | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Interview | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Extracurricular activities | Very importantFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Talent or ability | Very importantFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Character and personal qualities | Very importantFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: First generation | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Geographic residence | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: State residency | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Religious affiliation | Not consideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Volunteer work | ConsideredFall 2025 | – |
| Admission: Demonstrated interest | Not consideredFall 2025 | – |
| Test policy | Test scores requiredFall 2027 applicants | Test-optional |
| Application fee | $80 | $75 |
| Deadlines & deposit | Apply by January 2 · reply by May 1 or 2 wk · $0 housing depositFall 2026 cycle | – |
| Credit for AP exams | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer acceptance rate | 12%Fall 2025 | – |
| Students & campus | ||
| Setting | City: Small | City: Small |
| Carnegie class | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large |
| Research activity | R1: very high research | R1: very high research |
| Student access & earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings |
| HBCU, tribal, land-grant | Land-grant | None |
| Minority-serving, single-sex | None | None |
| Religious affiliation | None | None |
| Athletics | Division I FCS | Division I FBS |
| Conference | Ivy Group | Big Ten Conference |
| ROTC | Army, Navy, Air Force | Navy |
| Study abroad | Offered | Offered |
| Undergraduate research program | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar | Semesters | Quarters |
| Undergrads | 15,979Fall 2025 | 9,201 |
| Beds in college housing | 8,747 | 4,488 |
| First-years must live on campus | No | No |
| Men in a fraternity | 23%Fall 2025 | – |
| Women in a sorority | 19%Fall 2025 | – |
| Fraternity/sorority housing | Offered2025–26 | – |
| Greek councils present | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 |
| Pell Grant | 18% | 19% |
| First-gen | 15% | 15% |
| Men / women | 46% / 54%Fall 2025 | 46% / 54% |
| Part-time students | 0%Fall 2025 | 3% |
| Students 25 and older | 0% | 3% |
| First-years from in state | 32% | 19% |
| First-years from other states | 55% | 66% |
| First-years from abroad | 10% | 15% |
| New transfer students this fall | 503 | 277 |
| Transfers, share of new undergraduates | 12% | 12% |
| Diversity index | 0.79Fall 2025 | 0.81 |
| Academics | ||
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 | 6 to 1 |
| Classes under 20 students | 53%Fall 2025 | – |
| Full-time faculty share | 93% | 83% |
| Average faculty salary | $163,558 | $182,894 |
| Bachelor's degrees awarded | 4,187 | 2,431 |
| Most popular majors | Computer Science 12% · Biology/Biological Sciences, General 7% · Agricultural Economics 6% | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 11% · Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia 8% · Computer Science 6% |
| Instruction spending per student | $33,431 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) | $48,932 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) |
| Endowment per student | $345,193 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) | $495,254 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) |
| Tuition share of core revenue | 25% | 20% |
| Cost & aid | ||
| Average cost, all students (est.) | $58,255 | $57,229 |
| Aid generosity (grants ÷ full price) | 34% | 37% |
| Net price, students with grants | $26,361 | $26,830 |
| Sticker price, in-state | $88,140 | $91,290 |
| Sticker price, out-of-state | $88,140 | $91,290 |
| Tuition guarantee | No | No |
| Promise program | No | No |
| Tuition & fees, in-state | $66,014 | $65,997 |
| Tuition & fees, out-of-state | $66,014 | $65,997 |
| First-years paying out-of-state rates | – | – |
| First-years with grants | 48% | 53% |
| Average grant | $61,779 | $64,429 |
| Aid from the college | 47% | 53% |
| Need-based aid up to | Published data end at $110K | Published data end at $110K |
| Merit for students without need | – | – |
| Published promise | Families pay nothing toward cost under $75K; No tuition under $125K2026–27 | – |
| Aid forms | FAFSA · CSS Profile · NoncustodialFall 2026 entrants | – |
| Aid priority date or deadline | February 15 (priority)Fall 2026 entrants | – |
| Need met, first-years | 100%2025–26 (estimated) | – |
| Average aid package, first-years | $68,1472025–26 (estimated) | – |
| College grant dollars given as merit | 0%2025–26 (estimated) | – |
| Aid for international students | 318 students, average $88.3K2025–26 (estimated) | – |
| Outcomes | ||
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $104,043 | $89,363 |
| Graduation rate | 96% | 97% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients | 89%Entered fall 2019 | 94% |
| Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 96%Entered fall 2019 | 96% |
| Pell graduation gap | 7 pts lowerEntered fall 2019 | 2 pts lower |
| Finished within 4 years: Pell recipients | 78%Entered fall 2019 | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 88%Entered fall 2019 | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: all first-time full-time | 86%Entered fall 2019 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: Pell recipients | 86%Entered fall 2019 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 95%Entered fall 2019 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: all first-time full-time | 93%Entered fall 2019 | Not published |
| Graduated in 6 years, White students | 96% | 96% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Asian students | 98% | 97% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Hispanic/Latino students | 94% | 90% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Black students | 91% | 92% |
| Graduated in 6 years, students of two or more races | 91% | 93% |
| Graduated in 6 years, international students | 96% | 97% |
| Retention rate | 98%Entered fall 2024 | 98% |
| Credential within 4 years, all students | 90% | 87% |
| Credential within 8 years, all students | 96% | 97% |
| Enrolled at another college, 8 years on | 3% | 2% |
| Median debt | $14,000 | $15,000 |
| Undergrads with a federal loan | 18% | 17% |
| Median debt, Pell Grant recipients | $10,000 | $12,000 |
| Website | cornell.edu | northwestern.edu |
Sources:Cornell University Common Data Set, 2025-26;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Cornell University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Cornell University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Cornell University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;Cornell University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycle;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;College Scorecard, most recent release;National directories of campus chapters and groups, October 2026;College Scorecard, Fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;Cornell University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2019;Cornell University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;College Scorecard, 2023–24;Cornell University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Cornell University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26 (estimated);Cornell University (2026–27), 2026–27;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;Northwestern University (2026–27), 2026–27;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why