Cornell vs Harvard - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The share of international students differs sharply: 15.7% (Harvard) against 10.3% (Cornell).
The cheaper tuition belongs to Harvard: $64,796 against $72,270, or $7,474 less a year.
At 3.6% and 8.4%, both admissions processes remain a lottery for any candidate; the difference between them is not an argument here.
Students admitted to both more often choose Harvard (83.6% enrol, against 63.9%).
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Harvard is the more selective of the two (3.65% vs 8.41% acceptance). Harvard ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#12 vs #1). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($104K vs $102K). Harvard has lower sticker-price tuition ($64,796 vs $72,270 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Cornell for: higher graduate earnings, higher retention.
Choose Harvard for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Harvard is more selective (3.65% vs 8.41% acceptance); Harvard has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1540).
Cornell graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $102K); Harvard has a higher 6-year graduation rate (97.6% vs 95.4%).
Harvard has lower sticker-price tuition ($64,796 vs $72,270); Harvard offers a larger average aid package ($74,387 vs $64,225).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Cornell | Harvard |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #12 | #1 |
| Rank · THE | #20 | #3 |
| Acceptance rate | 8.41% | 3.65% |
| Yield rate | 63.9% | 83.6% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1553 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 4.21 |
| Number of applications | 65,612 | 54,008 |
| International students | 10.3% | 15.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $104K | $102K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $67K | $65K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $166K | $200K |
| Graduation rate | 95.4% | 97.6% |
| Retention rate | 98.1% | 98% |
| Median debt | $14,000 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $72,270 | $64,796 |
| Avg. aid package | $64,225 | $74,387 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $29,441 | $22,262 |
| Application fee | $80 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 26,793 | 21,189 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Cornell or Harvard?
It's harder to get into Harvard. Cornell accepts 8.41% of applicants, while Harvard accepts 3.65%.
Do Cornell or Harvard graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $104K at Cornell and $102K at Harvard.
How much is tuition at Cornell vs Harvard?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,270 per year at Cornell and $64,796 per year at Harvard.
What SAT score do you need for Cornell or Harvard?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Cornell and 1553 at Harvard; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Cornell or Harvard?
Harvard ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #12 for Cornell vs #1 for Harvard.
Which university offers more financial aid - Cornell or Harvard?
The average aid package is $64,225 at Cornell and $74,387 at Harvard.
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern
North Carolina
Duke