Is Cornell a Good School? Cornell Rankings and Reviews

Is Cornell a good school? What is Cornell known for? Is Cornell Ivy league? What Cornell reviews are important to consider? If you plan on applying to Cornell University in the future, these are likely the top questions you would want to ask.

This guide is designed to provide you with concrete answers about Cornell University. We will look at Cornell rankings, reviews, reputation, and admission rate. We will also discuss the best programs at various Cornell colleges so that you can choose the one that best suits your interests and career goals.

Cornell Profile

• Campus Locations: Ithaca (New York), Geneva (New York), Washington DC, Doha (Qatar), Rome (Italy)
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education and New York State Board of Regents, and the Commissioner of Education
• Acceptance Rate: 9%
• Graduation Rate: 94%
• Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $41,958 (in-state); $62,456 (out of state)
• Annual Graduate Tuition: $29,500 (in-state); $29,500 (out of state)

The information above can be found on the National Center for Education Statistics website. Cornell University, a private university of higher learning, was established in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. The beautiful main campus in Ithaca spans 2,300 acres. Cornell University is ranked 17th among National Universities in the 2022 edition of the Best Colleges rankings.

The academic year at Cornell is divided into two semesters. Additionally, each of the university’s seven undergraduate colleges and graduate divisions has its admission criteria and academic programs, allowing for near-total autonomy for each. Both of the university’s satellite campuses are in New York City, and one is located in Qatar’s Education City.

Where Is Cornell?

Cornell University has four domestic locations and two international locations. Cornell’s main campus is located in Ithaca, a beautiful campus on East Hill, with a view of the city and Cayuga Lake below. Its medical campus, Weill Cornell, is located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, New York City. Meanwhile, Roosevelt Island is home to the Cornell Tech campus.

More than a dozen programs are also available in Midtown, New York City. Cornell’s Wolpe Center in Washington, DC is where students go for the opportunity to combine professional work experience with relevant courses.

Outside of the US, Cornell has a medical school in Qatar, a result of the university’s partnership with the Qatar Foundation. It also has an excellent school of architecture, art, and planning in Italy’s capital, a campus commonly known as Cornell In Rome.

What Is Cornell Known For?

Cornell is known for a variety of degrees including hospitality management, architecture, and engineering programs. Its School of Hotel Administration offers the only four-year hospitality management program in a prestigious American university.

Students can pursue concurrent degrees (dual degrees) at Cornell. A student may, for instance, earn a BA from the Cornell SC Johnson College Of Business and an undergraduate engineering degree from the College of Engineering. Typically, concurrent degrees require five years to complete.

In the Five-Year MBA Program, offered in partnership with the Charles H. Dyson School Of Applied Economics And Management, exceptionally qualified candidates can achieve both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA in five years.

Men’s ice hockey, one of 37 varsity teams at Cornell, is the most well-known and followed. Ivy League Conference, 12-team ECAC, and NCAA Division I are all divisions in the Big Red team.

Is Cornell Ivy League?

Yes, Cornell is an Ivy League school along with Brown, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, Dartmouth, and Penn. Many of the Ivy League colleges date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, making them some of the country’s oldest collegiate leagues for higher education in the nation.

Cornell University was formed in 1865, more than a century after the end of the American Civil War, making it the only Ivy League institution founded after the war.

How Big Is Cornell?

Cornell is big with a student body of 23,620 students. It has a male-to-female student ratio of 54:46 respectively. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at Cornell University is 14,743. Altogether, there are 14 schools and colleges at Cornell.

According to undergraduate Cornell University admissions, around 15,000 domestic and international students from 50 states and 120 nations study at the university. Additionally, 45 percent of these students are from multicultural backgrounds. Cornell’s foreign student enrollment makes up more than 22 percent of the total student body.

Is a Degree From Cornell Good?

Yes, a degree from Cornell is good, because it delivers a rigorous education comparable to other Ivy schools, using a challenging curriculum and promoting a socially active student life. In the domains of business, management, and science and technology, Cornell University is a well-respected institution for future professionals.

One way to see if Cornell is a good school is by looking at its graduate outcomes. Ninety-seven percent of the Cornell Nolan School undergraduate class of 2021 obtained full-time work offers, and 96 percent accepted those offers within four months of graduation, according to Cornell’s survey on student employment.

How Much Does Cornell Cost?

Cornell costs around $41,958 per year for an average undergraduate in-state student and $62,456 per year for an out-of-state student. For a grad student, the exact tuition fee varies according to school and the type of program. However, according to NCES data, the average annual tuition cost for a grad student at Cornell college is around $29,500.

Cornell Financial Aid

To keep Ezra Cornell’s vision of a university where “any person can find instruction in any study” alive, Cornell provides a sophisticated financial aid program that awards aid based on the student’s financial need, ensuring that the funds are allocated fairly.

The types of financial aid available at Cornell include grants and scholarships from the federal government, as well as institutional and state grants, work-study jobs, and student loans.

Cornell Scholarships

• Cornell University Grant. Students with financial needs, as established by the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment, are eligible for Cornell Grants. The aid comes from a variety of sources including university endowments, grants from alumni, and a general fund.
• Empire State Diversity Honors Scholarship. The program provides financial assistance to individuals from diverse backgrounds who will promote the plurality of their university and prove academic rigor. Students with proven financial needs will have access to financing.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). The FSEOG Grant is accessible to US citizens and qualifying non-citizens with extraordinary financial needs who also qualify for the Federal Pell Grant. Cornell University’s maximum FSEOG award sum is $4,000.
• Federal Pell Grant. The Federal Pell Grant is accessible to US citizens and qualifying non-citizens with extreme financial need. In 2019-2020, the maximum Pell Grant award was $6,195, and in 2020-2021, it was $6,335.
• New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). TAP funding is for New York state residents who attend college full-time and have a New York state taxable family income of less than $80,001. TAP funds are distributed based on a family’s income, with new grant winners receiving between $500 and $5,165.

Cornell Rankings

Cornell University is a well-known Ivy League school with over 150 years of experience in higher education. In this section, we are going to discuss Cornell’s ranking in various kinds of categories through different nationally and internationally recognized university rankings.

Cornell US News & World Report Ranking

The Best Global Universities ranking places Cornell University in the 22nd position. Additionally, Cornell takes the #17 spot on the Best Colleges edition for 2022. A majority of its undergraduate programs are ranked in the top 10 of various subject-based US News and World Report rankings, which include engineering, biological sciences, business, and computer science.

Cornell Times Higher Education Ranking

Cornell University ranks #22 in the World University Rankings 2022. When you look at the same Times Higher Education report, the university has consistently ranked in the top 20 over the past decade. The universities in this report are graded based on teaching, research, citation, industry income, and international outlook.

Cornell Center for World University Rankings

The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) ranks Cornell 13th in the world rankings and 11th in the national rankings for the year 2020-2021. The overall score on this website is 89.8 out of 100. Cornell also ranks 28th in the alumni employment rank.

Cornell QS World University Rankings

In the latest QS World University Rankings, Cornell University ranks #20 out of 1,500 institutions across the globe. The criteria used to grade universities on this platform include academic reputation, employer reputation, student-to-faculty ratio, international faculty ratio, and employment outcomes.

Cornell Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)

Cornell University sits at the #12 spot in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) by Shanghai Rankings. When you look at the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, Cornell receives top scores in agricultural sciences, sociology, ecology, finance, and biotechnology.

Top Programs at Cornell

Cornell offers a wide variety of programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in almost every field of study. It also offers the opportunity to earn certificates. This section will discuss the top Cornell programs at each level.

Bachelor’s Degrees at Cornell

Cornell provides approximately 80 formal majors including arts and sciences, management, and engineering fields, as well as several intensive dual-degree programs and integrated majors that cross typical departmental boundaries.

Bachelor’s Degree Program in Hotel Administration

Your business education will be infused with the spirit of hospitality as a major in hotel administration, providing you with a memorable learning opportunity that combines in-class instruction with practical experience. Cornell’s hotel management programs are among the best in the nation.

Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering is an integrated engineering degree and an interdisciplinary endeavor. It unites medicine and engineering fields to address the needs of biomedical industries centered on pharmaceuticals and medical devices in the 21st century.

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences

The agricultural sciences bachelor’s degree program provides a flexible, multidisciplinary curriculum that equips students to face significant challenges, such as enhancing their family farms or pursuing jobs in policy, education, research, or agricultural business.

Master’s Degrees at Cornell

Cornell’s graduate programs are unique because they mostly consist of interdisciplinary fields of study. Graduate students can choose from a variety of subjects of study, each of which is led by a group of faculty members drawn from different academic institutions.

Master of Architecture (Professional)

With a focus on making and conceptual thinking, Cornell’s College Of Architecture offers a master’s degree that engages with global practices like no other program in the world. To prepare students from varied backgrounds and disciplines for employment in architecture, the M.Arch. program entails 3.5 years of study.

Cornell Tech MBA

For students who want a career in the digital and tech industry, this STEM-designated, one-year Tech Master’s of Business Administration program is a good option. At Cornell Tech, students from a wide range of backgrounds work together to solve real-world business problems and collaborate with industry experts, startup founders, and venture capitalists.

Applied Economics and Management M.S.

In addition to the courses offered by the Applied Economics and Management program, graduate students can enroll in graduate courses offered by Cornell’s world-class College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the university’s 13 other highly-ranked colleges and schools.

If a student does not have a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, the lack of knowledge in intermediate-level economic concepts can potentially extend their study duration. It is recommended that students have a Bachelor’s in Economics before enrolling.

Other Top Programs at Cornell

A broader assortment of professional and other academic programs is available in dual degree programs and five-year programs offered by SC Johnson College of Business and all other colleges at Cornell. You can take any business degree program and merge it with another program from the field of study of your choice.

JD/MBA Dual-Degree Program

The study of corporate law provides students with a comprehensive understanding of all company processes and corporate decision-making. For people involved in mergers and acquisitions, a greater breadth of business knowledge enables them to pose the proper questions, assess the relevant data, and make smart conclusions.

During the first year of law school, students study JD courses. During the summer of their first year, One-Year MBA students attend Johnson core courses. To complete both programs in three years, students take courses from both the Law School and Johnson throughout the final two years.

MPA/MBA Dual-Degree Program

The MPA/MBA provides the essential information, toolbox, and practical experience necessary for success in any company, particularly in positions requiring an integrated understanding of the public and private sectors.

Before beginning their MBA studies at Johnson, candidates accepted into the MPA/MBA program must spend their first and second academic year at CIPA studying Human Ecology. A summer internship and coursework is combined from both degrees in the third and final year.

5-Year Bachelors/MBA

The five-year bachelor’s + MBA program at Cornell can jumpstart your career if you are a stellar Cornell undergraduate with a track record of leadership potential. Outstanding Cornell undergraduates who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership potential, and good public engagement are encouraged to take this program.

All prerequisites for the undergraduate degree program must be fulfilled by the conclusion of junior year. Then, during senior year, students must complete all Johnson core courses and apply them as electives toward their bachelor’s degree.

How to Apply to Cornell

1. Prepare the application checklist. Using the checklist, make sure you’ve fulfilled all of the application requirements for first-year applicants. Those requirements may include an $80 application fee, high school transcript, the midyear report, Cornell University questions and writing supplement, quality samples, and the common application (CA.)
2. Read specific admission requirements for school. Check to see if you meet all of Cornell’s admissions requirements once you have decided to apply. Ensure that you have everything needed to apply to Cornell University’s program, including interviews or quality samples of your design portfolio.
3. Fill out the application form.  Apply directly on the program’s website by submitting the required documents and paying the application fee. The optional documents may include the SAT and ACT scores, as they are a prerequisite for some programs.
4. Check your application status. The next step is to keep checking the application portal regularly and confirm your enrollment as soon as your application is accepted. Once you are officially enrolled, keep in contact with the admission office for further updates about student organizations and orientation information.

How Much Do Cornell Graduates Earn?

Cornell graduates earn an average annual salary of $90,000, according to PayScale. This figure, however, depends on a number of factors such as skill level, industry experience, employer, and location. Common job titles for Cornell graduates include software engineer, data scientist, and veterinarian, all roles that pay upward of $100,000.

Meanwhile, the school’s internal report shows that the average base pay for the Nolan School of Hotel Administration’s class of 2021 graduates was $71,134. This is a three percent increase over the average base salary for the class of 2020.

Is Cornell a Good College?

Yes, Cornell is a good college. It is a member of the prestigious Ivy League network, an elite group of eight renowned private research universities in the United States. Ivy League colleges like Cornell are known for producing highly successful alumni who go on to have successful lives in any career they choose.

According to the Times Higher Education’s World University Ranking, Cornell is the 11th-best university in the United States and the 22nd-best university in the world. Cornell students go on to join the school’s large and close-knit alumni network, which today numbers over 250,000 people.

Is Cornell a Good School? FAQ