Cornell College Acceptance Rate
Mount Vernon, Iowa · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 3,087
- Admitted
- 2,490
- Yield
- 12%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Cornell College's acceptance rate has risen from 73.6% in 2014–15 to 80.7% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 1,915 to 3,087 (+61%) over that period.
Its 80.7% rate makes Cornell College more selective than about 40% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 26 tracked Iowa schools, it is more selective than about 46%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (82.5% for women vs 78.5% for men, a 4-point gap). Cornell College has been test-optional since 2016–17. Of admitted students, 12% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 1,915 | 1,410 | 73.6% | 263 |
| 2015–16 | 1,936 | 1,364 | 70.5% | 276 |
| 2016–17 | 1,965 | 1,394 | 70.9% | 287 |
| 2017–18 | 2,276 | 1,480 | 65% | 300 |
| 2018–19 | 2,532 | 1,545 | 61% | 296 |
| 2019–20 | 3,118 | 1,926 | 61.8% | 270 |
| 2020–21 | 2,615 | 2,155 | 82.4% | 290 |
| 2021–22 | 2,836 | 2,300 | 81.1% | 366 |
| 2022–23 | 3,057 | 2,425 | 79.3% | 329 |
| 2023–24 | 3,087 | 2,490 | 80.7% | 298 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 1,460 | 1,205 | 82.5% |
| Men | 1,534 | 1,204 | 78.5% |
| Another gender | 93 | 81 | 87.1% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 580–655 | 9% |
| SAT Math | 570–663 | |
| ACT Composite | 23–30 | 28% |
How Cornell College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Cornell College's acceptance rate?
Cornell College's acceptance rate is 80.7% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (2,490 admitted of 3,087 applicants).
Is Cornell College test optional?
Cornell College is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Cornell College?
Cornell College received 3,087 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 2,490.
What SAT score do you need for Cornell College?
Admitted students at Cornell College typically scored 580–655 on SAT Reading/Writing and 570–663 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Cornell College getting harder to get into?
Cornell College has become easier to get into: its acceptance rate went from 73.6% in 2014–15 to 80.7% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.cornellcollege.edu/.