Cornell vs Southern California - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Real money goes to international students at Cornell ($84,351 on average), while Southern California stops at $25,384.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Cornell: $104K against $92K.
Both universities turn away more than nine applicants in ten (8.4% and 9.8%), so the outcome rests on how well your profile fits, not on the admission rate itself.
45 points separate the SAT profiles: 1540 (Cornell) against 1495.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
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
Cornell is the more selective of the two (8.41% vs 9.81% acceptance). Cornell ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#12 vs #62). Cornell graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $92K). Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 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: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Southern California for: lower tuition, a larger aid package, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Cornell is more selective (8.41% vs 9.81% acceptance); Cornell has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1495).
Cornell graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $92K); Cornell has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.4% vs 91.8%).
Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 vs $72,270); Southern California offers a larger average aid package ($71,169 vs $64,225).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Cornell | Southern California |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #12 | #62 |
| Rank · THE | #20 | #72 |
| Acceptance rate | 8.41% | 9.81% |
| Yield rate | 63.9% | 43.3% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1495 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.80 |
| Number of applications | 65,612 | 82,027 |
| International students | 10.3% | 13.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $104K | $92K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $67K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $166K | $141K |
| Graduation rate | 95.4% | 91.8% |
| Retention rate | 98.1% | 95.6% |
| Median debt | $14,000 | $18,000 |
| Tuition · year | $72,270 | $68,687 |
| Avg. aid package | $64,225 | $71,169 |
| % of need met | 100% | 99.3% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $29,441 | $27,678 |
| Application fee | $80 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 26,793 | 46,566 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Cornell or Southern California?
It's harder to get into Cornell. Cornell accepts 8.41% of applicants, while Southern California accepts 9.81%.
Do Cornell or Southern California graduates earn more?
Cornell graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $104K vs $92K.
How much is tuition at Cornell vs Southern California?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,270 per year at Cornell and $68,687 per year at Southern California.
What SAT score do you need for Cornell or Southern California?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Cornell and 1495 at Southern California; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Cornell or Southern California?
Cornell ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #12 for Cornell vs #62 for Southern California.
Which university offers more financial aid - Cornell or Southern California?
The average aid package is $64,225 at Cornell and $71,169 at Southern California.
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