Cornell University is a private research Ivy League university in Ithaca, New York. It is one of the bigger Ivy League institutions with approximately 25,900 students enrolled. Admission is highly competitive with an acceptance rate of around 8.4%. The most popular majors are Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Biology, and Social Sciences. Cornell boasts a graduation rate of 95% over a period of six years, and its alumni have a median salary of around INR 97,50,000 (converted from $117,900 median salaries ten years post-graduation).
Harvard University is a globally recognized Ivy League private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, part of the Boston metropolitan area. It is larger, with around 30,386 students enrolled. Admissions are highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of around 3%. Top majors are Social Sciences, Biology, Liberal Arts & Humanities, History, and Mathematics. Harvard has a six-year graduation rate of 97%, and the graduates have a median salary of around INR 1,13,21,000 (equivalent to $136,700 median earnings a decade after graduation).
| Cornell University | Harvard University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 7.9 Out of 10 | 10 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 16 QS World University 2026 # 18 Times Higher Education 2026 # 14 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 5 QS World University 2026 # 5 Times Higher Education 2026 # 1 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 12 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 15 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 31 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 | # 1 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 6 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 1 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -64 PG Programs -70 Doctorate Programs -78 | UG Programs -40 PG Programs -53 Doctorate Programs -9 |
| Acceptance Rate | 8.0 % | 3.0 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-720 IELTS-7.5 TOEFL-100 | GMAT-620 GRE-300 IELTS-7 SAT-1470 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 58586 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 20800 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 44182 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 68266 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 71030 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 32724 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Cornell University is one of the top private universities in Ithaca, United States. It is ranked #20 in QS World University Rankings 2023.
| Harvard University is one of the top private universities in Cambridge, United States. It is ranked #5 in QS World University Rankings 2023 and ranked #1 in US UNI.
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| application requirements | Counselor recommendation, teacher evaluation, and midyear evaluations are mandatory along with the applications. | Teacher Evaluation forms (as additional LORs); Sample of academic work, potfolio, music recordings, art work, etc (supplementary documents); IELTS/TOEFL; Standardized test scores |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Johnson Graduate School of Management | Harvard Law School Harvard Extension School Harvard Kennedy School Harvard Business School |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.7/10 Read 11 reviews | 7.1/10 Read 5 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 18 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 37 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 1 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 6 for Business by US News 2025 # 7 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 |
| application | #1535 Applicants # 282 Admissions # 18 % Acceptance Rate | #9856 Applicants # 930 Admissions # 9 % Acceptance Rate |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 120/160IELTS - 7.0/9TOEFL - 100/120 | Duolingo - 145/160GMAT - 740/800GRE - 326/340IELTS - 7.5/9PTE - 75/90TOEFL - 109/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -119994 | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) - |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Sep 17, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline) Jan 8, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline) Jan 23, 2026 (Deposit & Official Documentation Deadline) Apr 7, 2026 (Round 3 (final) Application Deadline) Apr 24, 2026 (Deposit & Official Documentation Deadline) Jun 5, 2026 (Deposit & Official Documentation Deadline) | Sep 3, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Dec 10, 2025 (Round 1 Application Decision for Fall 2026 Intake) Jan 5, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 25, 2026 (Round 2 Application Decision for Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Cornell University | Harvard University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1865 | 1636 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 7:1 |
| Male:Female | 48% Male, 52% Female | 52% Male, 48% Female |
| Location Facts | University has 6 campuses; Main campus is located in Ithaca, New York; Other campuses are in Roosevelt Island, Qatar, Geneva, Washington DC and Rome | Harvard Yard: Campus’s historic hub, Harvard Square: Campus’s personal hagout destination with restaurants, cafe, bookstores, theater, shops. Well connected to the local neighborhood of Boston by public transport, the campus traverses the Charles River to near by Allston. |
| Library | 11th largest library in USA; Over 8 million printed volumes, 1 million ebooks, 120,000 periodical titles, 8.5 million microfilms and microfiches, 71,000 cubic feet of manuscripts, 500,000 other materials such as motion pictures, sound recordings, etc. | Largest academic library in the world. 20.4 million volumes, 400 million manuscript items, 180,000 serial titles. The library offers various grants and fellowships for both students and faculty. |
| Campus Life | Over 1,000 student organizations; awards and funding by Student and Campus Life (SCL) such as Cornell Commitment, Public Service Center, Cornell Career Services, Merrill Presidential Scholars Program, etc. | Students from over 50 states and 80 countries are offered assistance by over 400 official student organization. The campus has its own museum, radio station, magazine and newspaper. Along with student clubs for Aikikai, archery, dance, theatre/drama, music, etc, campus also offers cultural & racial initiatives, asian student centric-projects, etc. Varsity sports, crimson pride and various atheletic teams. |
| Hostel | #Triple Room - $11312 #Double Room - $12296 #Single Room - $13246 | #Medium Single - $10719 #Large Single - $13644 #Standard Single - $8361 |
| Famous Alumni | Tsai Ing-wen (first female president of Taiwan), David Starr Jordan (founding president of Stanford University), Ratan Tata (CEO of Tata Group), Toni Morrison (Nobel laureate), Junot Diaz (Pulitzer Prize winner) | Eight US Presidents, 62 living billionaires, 242 Marshall Scholars, 359 Rhodes scholars. Barak Obama (ex-president of USA), Michelle Obama (Former First Lady of USA), Mark Zuckerberg, Natalie Portman (Actress), Bill Gates, Conan O’ Brien (comedian writer), Al Gore (Winner-Peace Prize), Matt Damon (Actor), Helen Keller, Subramaniam Swami (Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha) |
| City Life | New York was ranked 34th in USA for economic growth and contributes over 8% to GDP. Financial activities, professional & business services, transportation, trade & utilities are the top contributors. | Cambridge- city in Massachusetts; home to a huge student community; city offers a great nightlife with gastropubs, live music, and cocktail bars. Boston’s cosmopolitan excitement is bus-ride away. Average salaries offered within the state are up to 97,5000 USD; Famous tourist attractions: Charles River, Harvard Square, Mount Auburn Cemetery, MIT Museum, CambrdgeSide, John Harvard Statue, Sanders Theatre; Unemployment rate- 3.2% |
| Weather |
Cornell University vs Harvard University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Both Harvard and Cornell are Ivy League schools with international prestige. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, Harvard comes in around 3rd in the world, and Cornell is slightly behind 20th.Harvard is well-rounded in all but almost every department, arts & humanities, natural sciences, life sciences & medicine, social sciences, and management. Cornell has special strengths in engineering, agriculture, computer science, hotel administration, architecture, and life sciences due to its land-grant mission and professional schools. Harvard's wider international reputation surpasses Cornell, but Cornell is esteemed in applied and technical areas.
General Information
Harvard University, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a huge private Ivy League university that has around 23,000 students and provides wide-ranging undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.Cornell University is in Ithaca, New York, with roughly 25,500 students, of which more than 15,000 are undergraduates, and also maintains the Cornell Tech campus in New York City. Cornell blends a liberal arts foundation with robust professional and STEM-focused programs.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Both schools are highly competitive in admissions. Harvard has an acceptance rate of approximately 3.5%, whereas Cornell's is a bit more at 7–8%, though still highly competitive. Both schools demand top academics, performance on standardized tests (where required), and excellent extracurricular activity. Cornell could place extra weight on demonstrated interest in specific areas of study such as engineering, agriculture, and hotel administration.
Research Impact & Facilities
Harvard boasts world-class research facilities in all fields, such as medicine, law, business, public policy, and the sciences, with lavish libraries, labs, and professional schools.Cornell is also research-focused, especially in STEM, applied sciences, agriculture, architecture, and hotel administration, aided by research farms, technology facilities, and the Cornell Tech NYC campus. Harvard's research reach is more extensive internationally, but Cornell is outstandingly strong in applied and technical areas.
Cost & Financial Aid
Both schools are private and have tuition rates of approximately $65,000 annually, not including living costs. Harvard offers one of the most generous need-based financial aid packages, frequently even paying full tuition for qualified students. Cornell also offers need-based assistance, but Harvard's aid is more inclusive, particularly for international students.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Harvard alumni are served by a worldwide alumni network and thrive in medicine, law, business, public policy, and academia. Cornell alumni are especially strong in STEM, engineering, architecture, agriculture, and business, as well as hospitality and technology through specialized programs. Both institutions have high career placement rates, although Harvard's international reputation lends greater recognition across various professional fields.
