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Ithaca, NY · Syracuse, NY
| Cornell University | Syracuse University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $28,690/yr | $38,793/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $1,776/yr | $15,817/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $14,000 | $26,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $4,070/yr | $15,845/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $6,796/yr | $21,132/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $14,311/yr | $28,780/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $49,992/yr | $55,401/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $148/mo | $276/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $19,428/yr | $19,188/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $19,428/yr | $19,188/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,226/yr | $1,753/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,182/yr | $2,024/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $88,140/yr | $84,517/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $69,314/yr | $65,528/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $69,314/yr | $65,528/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 18% | 17% |
| Students taking federal loans | 18% | 32% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 8.8% | 46% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1500–1570 | 1270–1440 |
| SAT average | 1535 | 1375 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 33–35 | 29–32 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 35–36 · Math 33–35 | English 29–35 · Math 26–31 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 65,635 | 42,089 |
| Students accepted | 5,358 | 17,545 |
| Students who enrolled | 3,537 | 3,672 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 66% | 21% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 37% | 24% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 12% | 9% |
| High-school GPA | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 95% | 84% |
| Freshmen who come back | 98% | 90% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $104,043/yr | $79,164/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $67,090–$166,446 | $52,205–$112,094 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 96% | 83% |
| White students graduating | 96% | 86% |
| Black students graduating | 91% | 78% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 94% | 87% |
| Asian students graduating | 98% | 85% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $87,830/yr | $60,459/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 90% | 86% |
| Graduate on time | 87% | 73% |
| Pell students who graduate | 92% | 83% |
| First-gen students who finish | 90% | 76% |
| Low-income students who finish | 90% | 77% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 9.8% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $97,098/yr | $70,598/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Computer & Information Sciences 19% · Engineering 15% · Business, Management & Marketing 11% | Social Sciences 13% · Communication & Journalism 13% · Business, Management & Marketing 12% |
| Most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 19% of degrees | Social Sciences — 13% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Engineering — 15% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 12% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Agriculture & Veterinary Science — 11% of degrees | Visual & Performing Arts — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degrees | Psychology — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $179,274/yr | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $122,790/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 48% | 21% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 15,995 | 15,477 |
| Students per professor | 9 : 1 | 15 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 10,665 | 6,632 |
| Average professor pay | $17,953/mo | $13,189/mo |
| Full-time professors | 93% | 68% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $75,110 | $78,436 |
| Setting | City (small) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Ithaca, NY | Syracuse, NY |
| Region | Mid East | Mid East |
| Founded | 1865 | 1870 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 9.6% | 9.1% |
| Men | 45% | 44% |
| Women | 55% | 56% |
| White students | 31% | 57% |
| Black students | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 13% | 12% |
| Asian students | 27% | 7.3% |
| Two or more races | 5.9% | 4.4% |
| Other / not reported | 6.8% | 2.3% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 15% | 19% |
| Part-time students | 1% | 3.3% |
| Students age 25+ | 0.5% | 3.4% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $33,431/yr | $20,551/yr |
| Endowment | $10.2B | $2.1B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 8,747 | 8,370 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $11,562/yr | $10,794/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,942/yr | $7,650/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 14 meals/week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | Yes | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | No | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | Yes |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | No | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | No | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | Yes |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FCS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 31 | 16 |
| Student athletes | 1,150 | 611 |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | $23.4M |
| Athletics budget | $46.7M | $109.0M |
| Athletics revenue | $50.4M | $120.8M |
| Recruiting spend | $1.5M | $2.1M |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.