Cornell College
Mount Vernon, IA · Private four-year · Town: Fringe
1,082undergraduates
80%admitted
Test-optionalSAT/ACT
$25,850average net price per year
72%graduate in 6 years
74%return for year two
Admissions
- Applicants
- 3,087
- Admitted
- 2,490
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Admit rate, women
- 83%
- Admit rate, men
- 78%
- Admitted students who enroll
- 12%
- First-year students
- 298
- SAT/ACT
- Test-optional
- Students who sent SAT scores
- 9%
- SAT reading and writing (middle 50%)
- 580-655
- SAT math (middle 50%)
- 570-663
- Students who sent ACT scores
- 28%
- ACT composite (middle 50%)
- 23-30
| High school GPA | Required |
|---|---|
| High school record | Considered, not required |
| College-prep coursework | Considered, not required |
| SAT or ACT scores | Considered, not required |
| Recommendations | Considered, not required |
| Essay or personal statement | Required |
| Class rank | Considered, not required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Considered, not required |
| Work experience | Not considered |
| Legacy status | Not considered |
Majors
45 undergraduate programs that awarded a degree or certificate last year, grouped by field. Numbers are how many were awarded.
Biological and biomedical sciences (3)
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bachelor's (26 awarded)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Business, management, marketing, and related support services (5)
- Business/Managerial Economics Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Finance, General Bachelor's (12 awarded)
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Management Science Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other Bachelor's (11 awarded)
Psychology (3)
- Applied Psychology Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Behavioral Neuroscience Bachelor's (8 awarded)
- Psychology, General Bachelor's (14 awarded)
Parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology (3)
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology Bachelor's (17 awarded)
- Physical Fitness Technician Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General Bachelor's (4 awarded)
Education (4)
- Elementary Education and Teaching Bachelor's (8 awarded)
- Music Teacher Education Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Secondary Education and Teaching Certificate (1-2 years) (3 awarded)
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels Certificate (1-2 years) (7 awarded)
Social sciences (4)
- Anthropology, Other Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- International Relations and Affairs Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Political Science and Government, General Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Sociology, General Bachelor's (4 awarded)
Visual and performing arts (5)
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Art/Art Studies, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Music History, Literature, and Theory Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Musical Theatre Bachelor's (1 awarded)
English language and literature/letters (2)
- Creative Writing Bachelor's (9 awarded)
- General Literature Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Engineering (2)
- Engineering Science Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Engineering, General Bachelor's (10 awarded)
Computer and information sciences and support services (1)
- Computer Science Bachelor's (10 awarded)
History (1)
- History, General Bachelor's (9 awarded)
Natural resources and conservation (2)
- Environmental Science Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Environmental Studies Bachelor's (6 awarded)
Multi/interdisciplinary studies (2)
- Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics (3)
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- German Language and Literature Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Spanish Language and Literature Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Physical sciences (2)
- Chemistry, General Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Geology/Earth Science, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Mathematics and statistics (2)
- Applied Statistics, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Mathematics, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies (1)
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Graduate programs (1)
- Creative Writing Master's
Cost and aid
- Tuition and fees, in-state
- $50,634
- Housing and food on campus
- $11,358
- Books and supplies
- $1,200
- Other on-campus costs
- $3,160
- Total cost on campus, in-state
- $66,352
- Total cost on campus, out-of-state
- $66,352
- Total cost living at home
- $54,544
Published prices for 2023-24.
| Family income | Per year |
|---|---|
| $0-30,000 | $18,285 |
| $30,001-48,000 | $17,873 |
| $48,001-75,000 | $22,174 |
| $75,001-110,000 | $26,134 |
| Over $110,000 | $30,897 |
Net price is the full cost minus grants and scholarships, for full-time first-year students who got aid in 2022-23.
- First-year students who got any aid
- 100%
- Got grants or scholarships
- 100%
- Average grant or scholarship
- $38,486
- Got a grant from the college
- 100%
- Average grant from the college
- $35,628
- Undergraduates with a Pell grant
- 29%
- First-year students who borrowed
- 68%
- Average amount borrowed
- $9,817
Graduation
- Bachelor's in 4 years
- 67%
- Bachelor's in 5 years
- 71%
- Bachelor's in 6 years
- 72%
- Bachelor's in 8 years
- 64%
- Any degree in 6 years (all students)
- 72%
- Transferred to another college
- 19%
- Came back for year two
- 74%
| Pell grant students | 71% |
|---|---|
| Subsidized loan, no Pell | 69% |
| Neither | 73% |
| Group | Students | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 150 | 75% |
| Men | 150 | 68% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 6 | 67% (small group) |
| Asian | 8 | 50% (small group) |
| Black | 22 | 68% |
| Hispanic | 18 | 61% (small group) |
| White | 222 | 73% |
| Two or more races | 5 | 80% (small group) |
| Race unknown | 6 | 83% (small group) |
| International | 13 | 85% (small group) |
| Started | Students | Earned a degree or certificate here | Enrolled at another college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started here, full-time | 276 | 64% | 25% |
| Transferred in, full-time | 47 | 70% | 26% |
Graduation rates follow students who started full-time for the first time in fall 2017. Groups under 20 students are marked because a few students change the rate a lot.
Students
- Total students
- 1,084
- Undergraduates
- 1,082
- Full-time undergraduates
- 1,075
- Part-time undergraduates
- 7
- Graduate students
- 2
- Students per faculty member
- 12 to 1
- Undergraduates age 25 and up
- 0%
- Undergraduates taking all classes online
- 0%
- Undergraduates registered with disability services
- 26%
| Women | 46% |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 1% |
| Asian | 3% |
| Black | 8% |
| Hispanic | 10% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 71% |
| Two or more races | 1% |
| Race unknown | 2% |
| International | 3% |
Campus life
- Setting
- Town: Fringe
- Address
- 600 First St. SW, Mount Vernon, IA, 52314
- County
- Linn County
- Type
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus
- Highest degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Religious affiliation
- United Methodist
- Athletics
- NCAA
- Teams include
- football, basketball, baseball, cross country and track
- Offers
- Study abroad, Undergraduate research, Teacher certification, Credit for AP exams, Yellow Ribbon (veterans)
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2022-23 to 2024-25 surveys), and the College Scorecard.