The cost of attendance
Don't let the sticker price scare you away.
The total cost of attendance (sticker price) is a starting point. Scholarships, grants, loans, and outside aid all can reduce your out-of-pocket cost for college significantly. As a matter of fact, 99% of Cornell students receive financial assistance that reduces their overall bill. To make the math simpler, use our Net Price Calculator to get an estimate of your actual cost
Cost of attendance 2025-2026 Academic Year
| ITEM | COST |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $54,056 |
| Housing (standard double room) | $5,528 |
| Food | $6,536 |
| General fees | $720 |
| Total Direct Costs | $66,840 |
| Estimated Indirect Costs | |
| Books | $720 |
| Personal | $1,880 |
| In-state transportation* | $1,200 |
| Additional food costs | $256 |
| Estimated loan origination fees | $70 |
| Total Cost of Attendance: | $70,966 |
| *out of state transportation increases to an estimated $2,000, bringing the total estimated cost of attendance to $71,766. | |
The cost of attendance is an estimate of the costs of being enrolled for one year at Cornell. Scholarships, grants, and other assistance have not yet been applied to reduce this total cost. When you apply to Cornell and are admitted, we will provide you with a financial aid summary that details all of your financial assistance options based on your estimated cost of attendance plus your personal financial situation. Filing your FAFSA, and sharing it with Cornell using code 001856 ensures we can calculate the best possible aid summary for you.
What financial assistance will reduce your sticker price?
Gift aid: you don't have to pay these back.
Scholarships can come from outside organizations or they can come from the college itself. Cornell will consider you automatically for what we call merit scholarships (renewable for up to four years as long as you maintain satisfactory progress) when you complete your application and complete your filing of the FAFSA. Complete these as early as you can so you can find out what assistance you'll get that can be applied to your tuition. Look for your award letter within a couple of weeks after completion.
Grants are reliant on the completion of your FAFSA because, in order to receive this form of aid, a certain financial need must be demonstrated. Read over our FAFSA tips and file early so you can see if any grants will be applied to your tuition. Filing the FAFSA will help determine if you qualify for either federal grants, state grants, or both!
Work study puts money in your pocket to be spent as you see fit in exchange for working at Cornell. Again, filing your FAFSA is key to finding out if you qualify for this aid.
Borrowed aid: you will have to pay this aid back.
Loans can come from the government or from private sources. You must file the FAFSA to be considered for government loans. You can use the funds from loans to pay on any part of your college bill. Just remember that interest accrues on loans, which means that you need to be aware that you will end up paying more than your actual loan amount. Consider how you will repay the loan(s) plus interest back once you graduate. Read all the fine print when taking out student loans.