Cornell College tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at Cornell College is $66,249 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $23,634 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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What your family pays
$23,634 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $66,249. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusAll students
Tuition & fees$52,660
Housing & meals$11,358
Books & supplies$1,200
Personal & travel$3,160
Living-at-home adjustment−$2,129
Total cost of attendance$66,249

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$21,500
Loan default rate3.3%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out40%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants32%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$42,615Sticker price minus average net price

College Scorecard

Cornell College net price compared with other Iowa colleges

Cornell College has the 21st-lowest average net price of 30 Iowa colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
17William Penn University$22,60133%$48,936
18Luther College$23,09771%$59,850
19Central College$23,37766%$54,317
20University of Dubuque$23,38640%$51,190
21Cornell College$23,63462%$53,460
22Briar Cliff University$23,90748%$54,475
23Clarke University$24,47956%$55,396
24Saint Ambrose University$24,69161%$59,531
25Dordt University$25,80770%$52,559

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Iowa colleges →

Why Cornell College costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Cornell College80%$23,63462%$53,460This school
Northwestern College80%$25,90766%$49,802
Buena Vista University78%$18,84662%$49,156
Mount Mercy University83%$20,16858%$60,787
Wartburg College76%$32,90864%$56,201

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

Cornell College would cost you $2,273 less per year than Northwestern College, on average.

  • Higher sticker price at Cornell College, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$15,950).
  • Cornell College gives aided families $18,739 more in grants, on average.
Per year, Iowa residentCornell CollegeNorthwestern CollegeDifference
Tuition & fees$52,660$36,710+$15,950
Books & supplies$1,200$1,100+$100
Housing & meals$11,358$10,700+$658
Personal & travel$3,160$3,200−$40
Living-at-home adjustment−$2,129−$1,927−$202
Sticker price$66,249$49,783+$16,466
Average grants−$42,615−$23,876−$18,739
You pay$23,634$25,907−$2,273

“+” means Cornell College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

Cornell College cost questions

How much is tuition at Cornell College?

Tuition and fees are $52,660 a year.

What is the total cost of attending Cornell College?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $66,249 a year.

What do families actually pay at Cornell College?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $23,634 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $16,409; $48–75k pay $20,177; $110k+ pay $29,298.

How much debt do Cornell College graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $21,500, and 3.3% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is Cornell College the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Cornell College overview