Cornell University vs Yale University: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Net Price

Yale University is the more selective of the two, admitting 4.6% of applicants versus 8.4% at Cornell University. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $16,171 per year at Cornell University versus $7,688 at Yale University. Admitted students post SAT middle-50% ranges of 1510–1560 at Cornell University and 1480–1560 at Yale University.

Cornell University vs Yale University: admissions and cost statistics from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard
MetricCornell UniversityYale University
Overall acceptance rate8.4%4.6%
Early acceptance rate11.6%10.8%
SAT middle 50%1510–15601480–1560
Avg unweighted GPA3.93.95
Yield rate64.0%70.0%
Class size3,5001,554
Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income$16,171$7,688
Net price, over $110,000 income$45,325$37,331

Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2024–25 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cornell University harder to get into than Yale University?

No. Yale University is more selective: it admits 4.6% of applicants, versus 8.4% at Cornell University, based on the most recent Common Data Set.

Which is cheaper for a middle-income family, Cornell University or Yale University?

For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $16,171 per year at Cornell University and $7,688 at Yale University, so Yale University is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).

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