Cornell University
Ithaca, New York · Private · 15,995 undergraduates · cornell.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test required
Send an SAT or ACT score
Admit rate
8.4%
of 72,523 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1490 to 1550
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$103,710Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Cornell University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
8.4% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 8.4% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$103,710
a year in 2027-28, from a $103,710 sticker price
What to do with your 1530
Send your score
This college requires an SAT or ACT score.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test required
You must send an SAT or ACT score.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Standardized Testing Policy | Undergraduate Admissions · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan2Regular Decision · January 2, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
8.4%
of applicants were admitted: 6,077 of 72,523 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 19% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
9,720 students were offered a spot; 254 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 43% of them sent SAT scores and 13% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1490 to 1550
Reading and Writing 730 to 770
Math 770 to 800
ACT composite 33 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160093%
- 1200 to 13995.8%
- 1000 to 11990.7%
- 800 to 9990.1%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$103,710
a year
- Tuition$76,900
- Fees$1,060
- Food and housing$22,200
- Books and supplies$1,280
- Transportation and other$2,270
Cornell University published $99,734 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$6,371
- $30,001 to $48,000$6,152
- $48,001 to $75,000$6,797
- $75,001 to $110,000$13,422
- Over $110,000$55,935
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$63,023
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 2/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 2/15
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
7 of 19
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,690Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 4 | 4 | A) For Biology Sciences Majors: General elective credit is awarded. The credit can be applied toward 120 credits required for graduation, but it cannot be used to fulfill requirements for Biological Sciences major. B) For Non-Biological Sciences Majors: Placement out of 4 credits of Introductory Biology Cluster Courses is permitted. Students are encouraged to confirm with their major department how this placement applies to their specific degree requirements. |
| Biology | 5 | 8 | a) For Biological Sciences Majors: General elective credit is awarded. This credit can be applied toward the 120 credits required for graduation, but it cannot be used to fulfill requirements for the Biological Sciences major. b) For Non-Biological Sciences Majors: Placement out of 8 credits of Introductory Biology Cluster Courses is permitted. Students are encouraged to confirm with their major department how this placement applies to their specific degree requirements. |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | Placement out of Calculus I (MATH 1110) for non-engineering majors. Alternatively, credit may be obtained by passing a placement exam during orientation. Students will forfeit credit if they take MATH 1106 or MATH 1110. |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | Placement out of MATH 1910. Alternatively, credit may be obtained by passing a placement exam during orientation. Students with a score of 4 are encouraged to take this exam if they believe their score does not fairly reflect their preparation. Students will forfeit credit if they take MATH 1910. |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | Non-engineering Majors. Placement out of Calculus I (MATH 1110) and Calculus II (MATH 1120). Alternatively, credit may be obtained by passing a placement exam during orientation. Students will forfeit 4 credits if they take MATH 1120 or MATH 1910. Students will forfeit all 8 credits if they take MATH 1106 or MATH 1110. |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 4 | Placement out of Calculus I (MATH 1110) for non-engineering majors. Alternatively, credit may be obtained by passing a placement exam during orientation. Students will forfeit credit if they take MATH 1106 or MATH 1110. |
| Chemistry | 5 | 4 | a) Placement out of CHEM 2070 & CHEM 2071 or CHEM 2090 & CHEM 2091. b) A student taking CHEM 1560 & CHEM 1561, CHEM 2070 & CHEM 2071, or CHEM 2090 & CHEM 2091 will forfeit AP credit. Students taking CHEM 2150 will retain AP credit. c) A student may also receive credit for CHEM 2070 & CHEM 2071, or CHEM 2090 & CHEM 2091 by passing an exam given during Fall orientation. d) A distinct exam is given before the start of the Spring semester that, if passed, will allow a student to receive credit for CHEM 2080 & CHEM 2081. See the Chemistry department website for further information. |
| Computer Science A | 5 | 4 | Placement out of CS 1110. Department also offers placement exam during fall orientation. |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | a) With a score of 4, placement into FREN 2090 or equivalent. b) With a score of 5, Department of Romance Studies determines placement. Students should take the CASE2 to obtain appropriate placement. |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | Department of German Studies determines credit and placement based on departmental examination (0 or 3 credits). |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | Department of Romance Studies determines placement. Students should take the CASE2 to obtain appropriate placement. |
| Macroeconomics | 5 | 3 | Placement out of ECON 1120. |
| Microeconomics | 5 | 3 | a) Placement out of ECON 1110. b) With a score of 5, Nolan School students will receive credit for HADM 1410. |
| Physics 1 | 5 | 4 | Placement out of PHYS 1101. With a score of 5 on Mathematics BC, placement out of PHYS 2207 OR forfeit credit and take PHYS 1116. |
| Physics 2 | 5 | 4 | Placement out of PHYS 1102. With a score of 5 on Mathematics BC, placement out of PHYS 2208 OR forfeit credit and take PHYS 1116. |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | 4 | Placement out of PHYS 2213. Students planning to continue with PHYS 2214 must first complete PHYS 1110 unless it was taken with PHYS 1112 or PHYS 1116. Students intending to major in physics are recommended to forfeit all credit and take PHYS 1116. |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 4 | Placement out of PHYS 1112 (for 3 credits) or PHYS 2207 (for 4 credits). Students given credit for PHYS 1112 must enroll in PHYS 1110. Students intending to major in physics are recommended to forfeit all credit and take PHYS 1116. Students in CALS majoring in BEE can only be assigned credit for PHYS 1112 per their major requirements. |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSYCH 1101 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | Students should take the LPS3 and afterward the CASE2 to obtain appropriate placement. |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 3 | Department of Romance Studies determines placement. Students should take the LPS3 and afterward the CASE2 to obtain appropriate placement. |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | (excludes Engineering, Nolan School and Brooks School students) a) Placement out of AEM 2100, BTRY 3010, BTRY 6010, CRP 1200, ENGRD 2700, ILRST 2100, ILRST 6100, MATH 1710, PUBPOL 2100, PSYCH 2500, SOC 3010, STSCI 2100, STSCI 2150, STSCI 2200. b) Students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will find credit and placement information on the CALS website. c) Biological Sciences majors see the biological sciences webpage for AP, IB, and GCE credit for credit and placement information. d) URS majors should see their College Registrar for details on fulfilling the statistics requirement. |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
95%
Come back for a second year
98%
Typical earnings
$113,531
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Cornell University$239,085
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 38 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Cornell University. The Cornell University logo is a trademark of the college.