Cornell Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

For the Class of 2029, Cornell University received 72,523 applications and admitted just 6,077 students, putting the acceptance rate at 8.38%.

Early Decision (ED) results for the Class of 2030 were released in December 2025, but don’t expect a detailed breakdown anytime soon. Since 2020, Cornell has stopped publishing admissions statistics until the admissions cycle has ended, so the full data won’t be available until later this year. Regular Decision (RD) results, however, are expected in late March 2026.

In this blog, we’ll cover Cornell’s latest overall, ED, RD, waitlist, and transfer acceptance rates, along with how they’ve trended over the years.

• Cornell Acceptance Rates
• Cornell Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Cornell Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Cornell Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Cornell Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Cornell Acceptance Rates

Cornell had an overall acceptance rate of 8.38% for the Class of 2029, a slight dip from 8.41% for the Class of 2028. Small as it may seem, applications jumped significantly from 65,612 to 72,523, with admits rising from 5,516 to 6,077, the largest admitted class on record. But with even more students applying, admitting a record number still wasn’t enough to push the acceptance rate up.

Zooming out, Cornell’s acceptance rate has fallen from 12% to 8% over the past decade. Here’s how the numbers have changed:

Note: All data has been compiled from Cornell’s Common Data Set.

Much of the surge in applications can be attributed to going test-optional in 2020, with Cornell being the first Ivy League school to do so. When tests were still required, Cornell received 51,500 applications. After going test-optional, that number surged to 67,380, lowering the barrier for students who may not have applied otherwise. More applicants meant more competition, which drove the acceptance rate down.

That said, the trend isn’t always a straight line down. The Class of 2027 dipped to 7.90% before bouncing back up, reflecting year-to-year fluctuations in applicant volume against a relatively stable number of admits, which has consistently stayed between 5,000 and 6,000. Despite these occasional variations, Cornell’s acceptance rate has been on a steady decline.

Cornell Early Decision Acceptance Rate

For the Class of 2029, Cornell received 10,057 ED applications and admitted 1,889 students, resulting in an ED acceptance rate of 18.78%. That’s notably higher than the Class of 2028, when 9,973 students applied early, and 1,161 were admitted, for a rate of 11.64%.

As for the Class of 2030, no ED statistics have been released yet. As mentioned earlier, Cornell stopped publishing admissions breakdowns immediately after each cycle to avoid discouraging students from applying. Full data won’t be available until midsummer, when Cornell reports enrollment figures to the federal government.

Cornell Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Cornell’s ED acceptance rate has followed a similar downward trajectory, falling from around 26% for the Class of 2021 to under 19% for the Class of 2029. Here’s how the numbers break down:

Note: All ED data has been compiled from Cornell’s Common Data Set.

Cornell’s ED acceptance rate has trended downward over the past decade, falling from 25.79% for the Class of 2021 to 18.78% for the Class of 2029, as ED applications nearly doubled from 5,401 to 10,057. The Class of 2028 stands out with a sharp dip to 11.64%, coinciding with Cornell’s decision to reduce ED admits in an effort to increase equity in the admissions process.

Despite the overall decline, applying ED still gives you a significantly better shot than RD. For the Class of 2029, the ED admit rate of 18.78% was almost triple the RD rate of 6.70%, which we’ll discuss in detail in the next section.

Cornell Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

For the Class of 2029, Cornell received 62,466 RD applications and admitted 4,188 students, resulting in an RD acceptance rate of 6.70%, down from 7.83% for the Class of 2028, when 55,639 students applied, and 4,355 were admitted.

As for the Class of 2030, no RD statistics have been released yet for the same reasons mentioned earlier, and won’t be available until midsummer.

Cornell Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

Cornell’s RD acceptance rate has also dropped significantly over the past decade, falling from nearly 11% for the Class of 2021 to 6.70% for the Class of 2029. Here’s the full breakdown:

Note: RD figures are estimates derived by subtracting ED data from overall totals in Cornell’s Common Data Set.

Cornell’s RD acceptance rate has fallen steadily over the past decade, from 10.97% for the Class of 2021 to 6.70% for the Class of 2029, as applications grew from 41,638 to 62,466 over the same period. The trend isn’t perfectly linear, with the Class of 2025 and Class of 2028 seeing slight upticks before falling again, but the overall direction is consistently downward.

Cornell Transfer Acceptance Rate

Cornell’s most recent transfer acceptance rate of 11.71% is from Fall 2025. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2025 transfer data is from the Fall Transfer Admissions report by Cornell’s Institutional Research & Planning (IRP).

At 11.71%, Cornell’s Fall 2025 transfer acceptance rate is slightly higher than its overall freshman rate of 8.38% for the Class of 2029, making transfer admissions comparatively less competitive than applying as a first-year student. Still, with only 864 students admitted out of 7,381 applicants, the transfer process remains highly selective.

Cornell Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent waitlist data is from the Class of 2028, with a 6.27% acceptance rate. Here’s how it breaks down:

Note: All data has been compiled from Cornell’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2028 first-year admissions data.

Cornell ultimately admitted 388 out of 6,190 waitlisted applicants who confirmed their spots, resulting in a 6.27% waitlist acceptance rate. For context, that’s still lower than the overall freshman admit rate of 8.38%, making the waitlist a difficult path to admission.

It’s worth noting that waitlist outcomes vary significantly year to year. Cornell states that admits have ranged from as few as 24 to as many as 362 in recent years. The Class of 2028 saw 388 admits, slightly above that range. Cornell also manages its waitlist college by college, so outcomes can differ depending on which school you applied to.

If you’ve been placed on Cornell’s waitlist, check out our Cornell waitlist guide for a detailed breakdown of what to expect and what you can do next.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Cornell’s current acceptance rate?

Cornell’s current acceptance rate is 8.38% for the Class of 2029. Out of 72,523 applicants, only 6,077 were admitted.

2. Is it easier to get into Cornell through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

Statistically, applying ED gives you a significantly better shot. For the Class of 2029, the ED acceptance rate was 18.78% compared to 6.70% for Regular Decision, making ED applicants nearly three times more likely to get in than RD applicants. That said, ED applicants tend to have the strongest profiles, which can influence those numbers.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Cornell?

It’s competitive, but slightly less so than freshman admissions. Cornell’s transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2025 was 11.71%, compared to the overall freshman rate of 8.38%.

4. What are my chances of getting off Cornell’s waitlist?

Your chances depend entirely on the year and Cornell’s enrollment needs. Cornell states that in recent years, the number admitted from the waitlist has ranged from 24 to 362. For the Class of 2028, Cornell admitted 388, resulting in a 6.27% waitlist acceptance rate.

5. Why is Cornell’s acceptance rate so low?

Cornell’s acceptance rate reflects the gap between a growing applicant pool and limited spots (around 5,000 to 6,000 per year). Applications have nearly doubled over the past decade, driven in part by Cornell going test-optional in 2020.

Takeaways

• Cornell’s acceptance rate was 12.67% for the Class of 2021, briefly rose to 8.69% for the Class of 2025, and has since fallen to 8.38% for the Class of 2029.
• ED applicants have a significantly higher chance of admission than RD applicants—18.78% versus 6.70% for the Class of 2029—despite Cornell’s decision to reduce the proportion of ED admits.
• Cornell has stopped publishing admissions breakdowns immediately after each cycle starting with the Class of 2024. Full data is now only available in midsummer, after the admissions cycle has ended.
• Both transfer and waitlist admissions are unpredictable. Cornell’s Fall 2025 transfer rate was 11.71%, while Cornell’s waitlist acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was 6.27%.
• With acceptance rates at an all-time low, having the right guidance can make a huge difference. Working with an admissions expert can help you build a stronger application, identify what Cornell is looking for, and put your best foot forward in a competitive pool.