Quad

Head-to-head

Cornell
Cornerstone

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Cornell's grants cover 62% of its full price on average, vs. 46% at Cornerstone

    Aid generosity
  2. 2

    Cornerstone has 15 pts more first-gen students than Cornell (35% vs. 20%)

    First-generation students
  3. 3

    Cornell grads earn $6.1K more ten years out than Cornerstone's ($53,460 vs. $47,314)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  4. 4

    Cornerstone's yield is 4 pts higher than Cornell's

    Yield rate
  5. 5

    Cornerstone is a bit larger (1,298 vs. 1,086)

    Undergrads
  6. 6

    Cornell is more diverse (index 0.51 vs. 0.49)

    Diversity index

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Cornerstone admits 78%, Cornell 80%; Cornerstone's yield is higher, at 19%.

Acceptance rate
Cornell80%
Cornerstone78%
Quad's selectivity
  • CornellAccessible
  • CornerstoneAccessible
SAT middle 50%Axis 1000–1600
Cornell
1120–1285
CornerstoneTest-blind
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • CornellGPA required
  • CornerstoneGPA and school record required

Who's on each campus

Cornerstone is a bit larger than Cornell (1,298 vs. 1,086 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Cornell1.1K
Cornerstone1.3K
Pell Grant share
Cornell32%
Cornerstone33%

Majors and faculty

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology leads at Cornell, and Elementary Education and Teaching at Cornerstone; Cornell has 14 students per faculty member to Cornerstone's 15.

Students per faculty member
Cornell14 to 1
Cornerstone15 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • CornellBiochemistry and Molecular Biology12%
  • CornerstoneElementary Education and Teaching7%

What each costs

Cornerstone costs about $1.2K less a year than Cornell on average; Cornell's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Cornell$25.3K
Cornerstone$24K
Aid generosity
Cornell62%
Cornerstone46%

What each pays off

Cornell's former students earn more, a median $53.5K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 60% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Cornell$53.5K
Cornerstone$47.3K
Graduation rate
Cornell64%
Cornerstone64%

How each has changed

Applications grew at Cornell but fell at Cornerstone; both got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • CornellGrowing+32%
  • CornerstoneShrinking−16%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About 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