Compare Cornell University or UCLA: Which is better for studies in USA?

Cornell University vs University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

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Collegedunia Team

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Cornell University is located in Ithaca, NY and is characterized by small city features whereas University of California Los Angeles is identified as a large city campus. Tabulated below is a detailed analysis of the two universities on qualitative, quantitative standards to understand the cultural nuances exclusively.

Overview Comparison
Cornell UniversityUniversity of California
Collegedunia Score7.9 Out of 107.8 Out of 10
ranking (overall)# 16 QS World University 2025
# 12 US News 2024
# 13 QS World University 2024
# 42 QS World University 2025
# 15 US News 2024
# 18 Times Higher Education 2024
Subject Strength# 13 for Engineering by US News 2024
# 16 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2024
# 10 for Medicine by US News 2024
# 16 for Engineering by US News 2024
# 14 for Medicine by QS World University 2024
# 14 for Law by US News 2024
ProgramsUG Programs -65
PG Programs -70
Doctorate Programs -78
UG Programs -24
PG Programs -43
Doctorate Programs -7
Acceptance Rate14.1 %11.0 %
Exam ScoreGMAT-720
IELTS-7.5
SAT-1400
TOEFL-100
GMAT-670
IELTS-7
SAT-1330
TOEFL-87
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees   58586
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  29500
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 37534 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees   42993
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  26544
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 36045 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.

  • Doctorate : $168,000 
  • Masters in Finance : $150,000 
  • MBA : $145,000 
  • Executive MBA: $139,000 
  • Masters in Science : $123,000 
  • PhD : $120,000 


Graduate Employability rank: QS-#3

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is one of the top public universities in Los Angeles, United States. It is ranked #44 in QS World University Rankings 2023.

  • Masters in Finance : $180,000 
  • MBA : $150,000 
  • Executive Masters:  $146,000 
  • Doctorate :  $136,000 
  • Executive MBA : $135,000 
  • Masters in Science : $101,000 

application requirements

Counselor recommendation, teacher evaluation, and midyear evaluations are mandatory along with the applications. 

94% in 12th for UG and 83% in bachelors for graduate admission; Name and email of references; Statement of Purpose

Campuses and B-SchoolsJohnson Graduate School of Management
Anderson School of Management
CollegeDunia Reviews8.0/10 Read 9 reviews8.0/10 Read 11 reviews
General Facts Comparison
General FactsCornell UniversityUniversity of California
Type of UniversityUniversity
University
Established1865
1919
Student:Faculty Ratio10:1
18:1
Male:Female48% Male, 52% Female47% Male, 53% 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


Five mile from Pacific Ocean, Located in West-wood neighborhood of LA
Bordered by Beverly hill and Bel-Air


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. 


12 million print and electronic volumes
700 subscription database
100,00 current serial titles
950,000 e-books
Largest on-campus student employer


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. 


Over 100 Student organizations
220 student groups
Around 60 sororities and fraternities
118 NCA Titles and 261 Olympic Medals
Theatre and Film School
Midnight Yells during finals week (break to study)
 


Hostel#Triple Room - $11312
#Double Room - $12296
#Single Room - $13926
#Room & Board - $17436
#Room and Board - $18609
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)


14 Nobel laureates, 15 Mac Authors
Taylor Wang (astronaut), Randy Schekman (Nobel laureate-Physiology/medicine), Richard Heck (Nobel laureate-chemistry), Kay Ryan (US Poet laureate), Tom Bradley (1st African-American mayor of LA), Ralph Bunche (Nobel Peace Prize), Kareem Abdul (NBA superstar)


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. 


Los Angeles (LA) is the second most populous city of USA; Hollywood is located here; 841 Museums and art galleries, California Beaches, Disneyland park, Los Angeles offers various concert halls, regular festivals, and bustling nightlife; Ranked 7th on Global City Index and 9th on Global Economic Power Index; Unemployment rate in December 2019 was 4%; Industries employing maximum number of people are healthcare, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing


Weather
Comparison Notes

For a study-abroad aspirant, pursuing higher education in USA can be extremely fruitful. However, choosing between two of the top-ranking universities in the USA may require a deep understanding of the differences between both Cornell (#17) and UCLA (#20). Apart from the above-mentioned details, international students must look at the following parameters when applying to study at either of the top universities.

Why Study at University of California, Los Angeles?

  • The tuition fees for pursuing undergraduate programs at UCLA is approximately 5000-7000 USD less than Cornell University.
  • Admissions at UCLA is easier than at Cornell University, based on the acceptance rate and the scores for the exams required to study in the USA.
  • The graduate employability ranking of UCLA (#3) is better than Cornell University (#12). 
  • UCLA has a larger student and alumni body with a higher number of international students.
  • The University of California, Los Angeles is highly recognized for its social science programs.

Why Study at Cornell University?

  • The University accepts application through the Common Application Portal.
  • Cornell is ranked #23 as the best value schools in the USA. On the other hand, UCLA is ranked #111 among the same list of schools.
  • Cornell University is also recognized better for its innovative methods of educating and training. US News ranks Cornell #19 while UCLA #29.
  • MBA program at Cornell University is accredited among the top MBA programs across the world.
  • Placement packages offered to students at Cornell are at least 8000 USD more than UCLA graduates.
  • Cornell University offers international students with scholarships to study in the USA, while UCLA does not offer any scholarships to international students.
    • Need-based awards are granted to undergraduate students at Cornell.
  • The graduation rate is higher at Cornell University than the University of California, Los Angeles.

Pursuing an education at either of the two universities will depend on the choice of program, scores obtained in various exams, and the financial status of a student. However, if offered a choice, international students might opt for Cornell University for its better reputation, scholarships, and program rankings.