Cornell University acceptance rate
Cornell University admitted 8.4% of first-year applicants for fall 2025. Of 72,523 students who applied, 6,077 got in.
- 72,523applied
- 6,077admitted
- 3,827enrolled
- 63%of admitted students enrolled (yield)
Fall 2025 entering class. Source: Cornell University, Common Data Set 2025–26, section C1. Checked October 30, 2026.
How this compares with the federal figure
The Department of Education's College Scorecard still shows fall 2024, the latest year federal data covers. The college's own report is a year newer.
| Entering class | Acceptance rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | 8.4% | Common Data Set 2025–26 |
| Fall 2024 | 8.8% | College Scorecard (IPEDS 2024–25) |
Admission got harder by 0.4 percentage points in one year.
Acceptance rate by residency
Cornell University reports applicants and admits separately for in-state, out-of-state and international students.
| New York residents | 13.3% | |
|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state | 9.0% | |
| International | 3.6% |
Computed from the residency breakdown in section C1 of the Common Data Set 2025–26.
Early decision and early action
Cornell University offers binding early decision. It does not offer early action.
| Plan | Apply by | Decision by |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision | November 1 | December 15 |
| Regular decision | January 2 | Early April |
For fall 2025, 10,057 students applied early decision and 1,889 were admitted, a rate of 18.8%. Everyone else was admitted at about 6.7%. Early decision applicants commit to enroll if admitted, so compare the two rates with care.
SAT and ACT scores
The SAT or ACT is required for students applying to start in fall 2027. In fall 2025, 43% of enrolled first-years submitted SAT scores and 13% submitted ACT scores, so these ranges describe only those students.
The middle 50% of enrolled students who submitted the SAT scored between 1490 and 1550.
25th, 50th and 75th percentiles of enrolled first-years, fall 2025. Source: Common Data Set 2025–26, section C9. The green bar is the middle 50% and the dark tick is the median.
Check your chances
Enter your GPA and test scores to see whether Cornell is a reach, a target or a likely school for you.
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9,720 applicants were offered a place on the waitlist, 6,598 accepted it and 254 were admitted from it (3.8% of those who stayed on the list).
Source: Common Data Set 2025–26, section C2.
Application fee and cost
Application fee: $85 (can be waived for financial need).
Tuition and fees for 2025–26 are $72,270; the average net price after grants was $33,934 in 2024–25. See Cornell's full cost and net price by family income.
Common questions
What is the Cornell acceptance rate?
8.4% for students entering in fall 2025. The college admitted 6,077 of 72,523 first-year applicants, according to its Common Data Set 2025–26. The federal figure for fall 2024 was 8.8%.
Is Cornell test-optional?
No. Cornell University requires the SAT or ACT for students applying to start in fall 2027. In fall 2025, 43% of enrolled first-years submitted SAT scores and 13% submitted ACT scores.
Does early decision help at Cornell?
Early decision applicants were admitted at 18.8% (1,889 of 10,057), compared with about 6.7% for everyone else. Early decision is binding and draws a different group of applicants, so the gap does not measure the advantage on its own.
Sources
- Cornell University, Common Data Set 2025–26 (from the college's institutional research office), checked October 30, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, release of October 15, 2026.
Each figure was copied from the source document and checked by hand. If you spot an error, tell us and we'll correct it. Read how we check the data.