Cost to Attend
Costs & Affordability
Whether you’re just beginning your search or putting the final touches on your application essay, there are many things to consider—including your college financing options. Applying for financial aid can substantially reduce the cost of attending for eligible students, ensuring a world-class university experience is both accessible and affordable.
What is included in your Estimated Cost of Attendance?
The estimated cost of attendance, sometimes called the “sticker price,” is often not the price a student will pay to attend Cornell. Rather, it is an estimate of the cost to attend before financial aid is applied.
Cornell's estimated cost of attendance includes costs that a typical, full-time student will encounter in a traditional academic year—fall and spring semesters. Estimated costs are tailored to each student and depend on several factors, including a student's undergraduate college, academic program, New York State residency, and on- or off-campus housing plans.
The total annual cost is the estimated cost of attendance minus financial aid (grants, work study, and loans).
2023–2024 Estimated Cost of Attendance
The cost of attendance reflects estimated expenses prior to financial aid. In addition to the estimated budgets below, we encourage you to use the Financial Aid Calculator to estimate your family’s unique cost to attend.
| Estimated Expense | Endowed Colleges | State Contract Colleges: Non-NY State Residents | State Contract Colleges: NY State Residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $65,204 | $65,204 | $43,888 |
| Student activity Fee | $310 | $310 | $310 |
| Health Fee | $500 | $500 | $500 |
| Housing | $11,562 | $11,562 | $11,562 |
| Food | $6,992 | $6,992 | $6,992 |
| Books, course materials, supplies, Equipment | $1,364 | $1,364 | $1,364 |
| Personal Expenses | $2,218 | $2,218 | $2,218 |
| Total | $88,150 | $88,150 | $66,834 |
Note: Estimated expenses for supplies are slightly higher for students enrolled in Architecture and Art, Landscape Architecture, Design & Environmental Analysis, and Fiber Science & Apparel Design programs.
Additional Expenses
- Transportation: Estimated annual costs associated with transportation to and from campus are assessed by region.
- Health Insurance - Students not already covered by health insurance that meets Cornell's health insurance requirements, along with international students, are required to purchase the Cornell Student Health Plan.
2023-24 Graduate and Professional Estimated Cost of Attendance.
Billed vs. Non-Billed Costs
The estimated cost of attendance includes both billed costs (such as tuition and fees) and non-billed costs (such as personal items and transportation). Expenses for housing, food, books, and other supplies may be billed or non-billed costs, depending on your housing plans and participation in Cornell's Academic Materials Program.
Undergraduate Tuition at Endowed vs. State Contract Colleges and Schools
Three of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges or schools—Agriculture and Life Sciences, Human Ecology, and Industrial and Labor Relations—are established by an act of the New York State Legislature, receive direct funding from New York state, and are operated by Cornell under contract with the state. New York residents attending undergraduate programs in Cornell’s three contract colleges and schools, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, and Bachelor of Science candidates in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy are eligible for Cornell’s New York State contract college tuition rate.
Undergraduate Colleges and Schools
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences*
- College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Engineering
- College of Human Ecology*
- Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy*
- Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
- Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration
- Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management*
- School of Industrial and Labor Relations*
The Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management is a shared school between the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
The Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy is a hybrid academic unit that partners with contract and endowed colleges to offer undergraduate programs.
Understand How Affordable Your Cornell Education Can Be
For undergraduate students, Cornell meets 100 percent of demonstrated financial need with an annual aid offer that includes grants and scholarships, work-study, and reasonable student loan offers for families with annual incomes above $75,000.
Try Cornell’s Financial Aid Calculators
For students studying in certain graduate or professional degree programs, merit-based grants or scholarship aid, fellowships, or assistantships may be available. A variety of financing options, including graduate student loans and installment plans, are available to all graduate and professional students studying in qualifying programs.