This article was originally reported in March 2025. The 2026–27 rates are covered in the update at the end.
On March 27, 2025, the Cornell University Board of Trustees approved budget parameters for the 2025–26 academic year, setting tuition, housing and dining rates and financial aid. Undergraduate tuition rose about 4.2%, while Cornell paired the increase with about $470 million in institutional grant and scholarship aid. The university said the increases reflected inflation, regulatory requirements, risk management and higher operating expenses (Cornell Chronicle, March 27, 2025).
2025–26 undergraduate rates
| Category | 2025–26 tuition | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state students in any college, and New York residents in the endowed colleges | $71,266 | +4.22% |
| New York residents in the state contract colleges | $48,010 | +4.24% |
The endowed colleges are the College of Architecture, Art and Planning; the College of Arts and Sciences; the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business; and Cornell Engineering. The contract colleges, which receive New York State support, are the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Human Ecology and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Average undergraduate housing and dining costs rose by $1,146 (5.9%). Since Cornell’s 2022 North Campus residential plan, first- and second-year students must live on campus and have a meal plan (Cornell Chronicle).
International students are not New York residents, so they pay the $71,266 rate regardless of college.
Financial aid
- Cornell gives $93.6 million a year in aid to first-time, full-time undergraduates, which it says is more than 30% above the next most generous top U.S. private university.
- About 50% of undergraduates receive need-based institutional grant or scholarship aid each year, and grant and endowed scholarship aid has almost doubled over the past decade.
- Aid offers generally cover tuition for families earning up to $125,000 and tuition plus housing and food for families earning up to $75,000, assuming typical assets. Aid goes to 98% of families earning $150,000–$175,000 and 96% of those earning $175,000–$200,000.
- Aid recipients whose family finances do not change typically see grant increases that match the rate increases.
“The university remains committed to making a Cornell education affordable for exceptional students,” said President Michael I. Kotlikoff. Provost Kavita Bala pointed to financial uncertainty from possible deep cuts in federal research funding and tax legislation affecting endowment income, saying, “We have initiated strategic budget adjustments” (Cornell Chronicle).
What international applicants should know
- Aid is need-aware for international students. Cornell considers international applicants’ financial need in admission, and international students who want need-based aid must apply for it when they apply for admission; admitted students who did not apply cannot apply for aid at any time after enrolling (Cornell Financial Aid: international FAQ).
- Selectivity: for fall 2025, Cornell received 62,993 first-year applications and admitted 5,516 (8.8%). Of 26,793 students enrolled that fall, 6,943 were international, including 1,656 of 16,128 undergraduates and 5,287 of 10,665 graduate students (IPEDS).
- Rankings: Cornell ranks No. 14 among national universities in the U.S. News 2027 edition and No. 16 in QS World University Rankings 2027 (Forward Pathway’s US Colleges Ranking).
Latest update: 2026–27 rates
On March 23, 2026, the trustees approved the 2026–27 parameters. Tuition rose 3.76% to $73,946 for out-of-state students and New York residents in the endowed colleges and to $49,816 for New York residents in the contract colleges; average housing and dining rose 3.76% to $21,348. Graduate and professional tuition increases ranged from 0% to 4.5%. The aid thresholds stayed the same: tuition covered for families earning up to $125,000 and the full cost of attendance for families earning up to $75,000 with typical assets (Cornell Chronicle, March 23, 2026). For admissions data and costs, see the Cornell University profile.
References
- Cornell Chronicle: Board of Trustees approves 2025-26 budget parameters (March 27, 2025)
- Cornell Chronicle: Board of Trustees approves 2026-27 budget parameters (March 23, 2026)
- Cornell Financial Aid: Frequently asked questions about international financial aid
- Forward Pathway: Cornell University profile