Notre Dame vs Cornell - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Average aid for an international student is $84,351 (Cornell) and $62,803 (Notre Dame).
30 points separate the SAT profiles: 1540 (Cornell) against 1510.
These admissions operate at different scales: Cornell reads 65,612 applications a year, its rival 29,942.
The lower full cost of study, not tuition alone, belongs to Notre Dame: $87,295 against $96,268.
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 11.3% acceptance). Cornell ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #12). Cornell graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $100K). Notre Dame has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,607 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 Notre Dame for: higher retention, lower tuition, a larger aid package.
Choose Cornell for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Cornell is more selective (8.41% vs 11.3% acceptance); Cornell has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1510).
Cornell graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $100K); Cornell has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.4% vs 95%).
Notre Dame has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,607 vs $72,270); Notre Dame offers a larger average aid package ($67,855 vs $64,225).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Notre Dame | Cornell |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #12 |
| Rank · THE | - | #20 |
| Acceptance rate | 11.3% | 8.41% |
| Yield rate | 61.7% | 63.9% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 29,942 | 65,612 |
| International students | 7.5% | 10.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $100K | $104K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $68K | $67K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $166K |
| Graduation rate | 95% | 95.4% |
| Retention rate | 99% | 98.1% |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $67,607 | $72,270 |
| Avg. aid package | $67,855 | $64,225 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $30,400 | $29,441 |
| Application fee | $85 | $80 |
| Enrollment | 13,042 | 26,793 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Notre Dame or Cornell?
It's harder to get into Cornell. Notre Dame accepts 11.3% of applicants, while Cornell accepts 8.41%.
Do Notre Dame or Cornell graduates earn more?
Cornell graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $104K vs $100K.
How much is tuition at Notre Dame vs Cornell?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,607 per year at Notre Dame and $72,270 per year at Cornell.
What SAT score do you need for Notre Dame or Cornell?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Notre Dame and 1540 at Cornell; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Notre Dame or Cornell?
Cornell ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Notre Dame vs #12 for Cornell.
Which university offers more financial aid - Notre Dame or Cornell?
The average aid package is $67,855 at Notre Dame and $64,225 at Cornell.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern
North Carolina