Cornell University

Cornell University is a private, endowed research university and New York’s federal land-grant institution. It has a broad academic structure with undergraduate colleges and graduate/professional schools, and its main campus is in Ithaca, New York. Cornell describes itself as combining private university status with public mission, with strengths across arts and sciences, engineering, agriculture and life sciences, architecture, business, law, public policy, computing, and other fields.

Private, endowed research university; New York’s federal land-grant institution

• Founded: 1865

• Comprehensive research university with major strengths across sciences, engineering, agriculture, business, humanities, social sciences, architecture, computing, law, and public policy.
• Strong emphasis on research, innovation, and multidisciplinary collaboration across Ithaca, Geneva, and New York City campuses

• Institutional accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
• Cornell has been accredited by Middle States since 1921 and was most recently reaffirmed in 2021.

• QS World University Rankings 2026: #16 globally
• Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026: #18 globally

• Main campus spans 2,300 acres in Ithaca.
• Cornell has over 1,000 student organizations
• Cornell Career Services publishes central student outcomes and job/internship support resources.
• Cornell maintains a large research and innovation system of facilities, laboratories, institutes, and centers