Cornell College
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want small classes and close faculty access. no major red flags in the data. generous financial aid cuts net price well below sticker.
About This School
Cornell College is a private nonprofit institution located in Mount Vernon, Iowa with approximately 1,086 undergraduate students enrolled. Cornell College has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 80%. The average net price after financial aid is $23,634 per year. The graduation rate is 62%, and the typical graduate earns $45,400 within 10 years of enrollment.
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa, United States. Originally the Iowa Conference Seminary (Methodist), the school was founded in 1853 by George Bryant Bowman. Four years later, in 1857, the name was changed to Cornell College, in honor of iron tycoon William Wesley Cornell.
Worth considering if you're drawn to small, intimate liberal arts learning — with just 1,074 undergrads and an 81% acceptance rate, it's an accessible option for students who want real attention from faculty. The financials are reasonably manageable at $25,079/year net price and $21,500 median debt, but a 72% graduation rate and median earnings of $45,400 a decade out suggest this school works best for students with a clear sense of purpose, not those still figuring out why they're going to college. The 74% freshman retention rate is a mild caution sign worth asking about on a campus visit.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 15% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Cornell College graduates earn most above the national rate in Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness ($59,195 vs $54,562 nationally), and most below it in Computer Science ($84,938 vs $107,009).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 18 | $59,195 | $54,562 | +$4,633 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 16 | $64,510 | $65,466 | −$956 |
| Computer Science | 15 | $84,938 | $107,009 | −$22,071 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 13 | $38,299 | $41,367 | −$3,068 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 11 | $47,762 | $47,382 | +$380 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1,086 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Cornell College is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Cornell College?
Cornell College has an acceptance rate of 80%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Cornell College hard to get into?
Not especially. Cornell College has an acceptance rate of 80%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Cornell College cost?
The average net price at Cornell College is about $23,634 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Cornell College?
Cornell College has a graduation rate of 62%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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