Cornell vs Washington University in St Louis (WashU)

Cornell University and Washington University in St. Louis, two prestigious private research universities, offer distinct educational experiences. Cornell, nestled in Ithaca, New York, boasts an acceptance rate of 10.3%, while Washington University, located in the vibrant city of St. Louis, Missouri, has a slightly higher acceptance rate of 14.9%. Both universities excel in various academic disciplines, with Cornell known for its strength in engineering, agriculture, and hospitality management, and Washington University renowned for its programs in medicine, business, and the arts. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further differences, including student body demographics, popular majors, graduation rates, and more, to determine which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Cornell University logo

Cornell University

Washington University in St Louis logo

Washington University in St Louis

Overview

Location Ithaca, New York Saint Louis, Missouri
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.7% 13.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $105
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $45
SAT range 1450 - 1560 1490 - 1570
ACT range 33 - 35 33 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 41.0% 25.0%
Students submitting ACT score 20.0% 41.0%
Total number of applicants 67,380 33,634
Total number of admissions given out 5,852 4,373
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,718 1,980
Yield rate 63.5% 45.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $80,287 $81,620
Average net price $24,262 $28,298
Tuition $60,286 $57,750
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,962

Meal plan: $6,434
Room/dormitory: $12,350

Meal plan: $5,550
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

50.0%
Average amount $52,674
44.0%
Average amount $51,288
Students receiving federal student loan 26.0%
Average amount $3,924
14.0%
Average amount $4,790
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $8,357
2.0%
Average amount $25,095

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 15,503
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
8,034
Men 46.4% Women 53.6%
Graduate students 10,079
Men 51.0% Women 49.0%
8,939
Men 47.6% Women 52.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 64.3% 88.2%
International students 24.4% 26.1%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 7,422 6,826
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California New Jersey Florida Pennsylvania California Missouri New York Illinois Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Legal Profession
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 94.1% 93.1%
Dropout rate 5.2% 6.5%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $185,154
  • Year 2: $172,867
  • Year 3: $207,272
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $150,786
  • Year 2: $145,332
  • Year 3: $167,695
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,764
  • Year 2: $122,485
  • Year 3: $158,076
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $147,241
  • Year 2: $127,397
  • Year 3: $155,653
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,311
  • Year 2: $111,926
  • Year 3: $126,082
Operations Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,067
  • Year 2: $109,763
  • Year 3: $124,590
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,459
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $109,597
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,672
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $109,553
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,847
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $107,658
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $106,693
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,930
  • Year 2: $99,517
  • Year 3: $149,178
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,627
  • Year 2: $112,270
  • Year 3: $125,369
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,311
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: $123,261
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,605
  • Year 2: $80,755
  • Year 3: $115,101
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,604
  • Year 2: $85,538
  • Year 3: $96,865
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,886
  • Year 2: $67,995
  • Year 3: $82,126
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,989
  • Year 2: $58,334
  • Year 3: $73,030
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,467
  • Year 2: $64,379
  • Year 3: $68,070
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,193
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $66,777
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,699
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $66,289

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