Cornell vs Northwestern for CS/Engineering

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Choosing between Northwestern and Cornell for CS/Engineering(Leaning Engineering). Going back and forth and would appreciate outside perspectives.

The programs:

  • Northwestern: McCormick School of Engineering, applied CS

  • Cornell: College of Arts and Sciences, CS (plan to transfer to engineering school, heard it’s relatively straightforward)

Financials (yearly): After all aid and an outside $10k/yr scholarship, out of pocket is roughly $9k Northwestern vs $30k Cornell - about an $84k gap over four years. Family can cover either without hardship.

Relevant context:

  • Already completed a CS internship at top 10 US defense contractor summer before 12th grade.

  • Guaranteed Amazon internship after freshman year, potential for return offers throughout college

  • Long term goal: stay technical ~15 years then move into management (maybe one of these schools is better for this??)

My thoughts/concerns:

Northwestern: I feel like I’d struggle in fast paced environments and the quarter system is my biggest hesitation. Engineering students at admitted day warned that falling behind even briefly messes up their whole term.

Cornell: Stronger program reputation (top 5-8 engineering vs Northwestern around top 20-25) and semester system fits me better. But I’d be entering A&S not engineering directly and Cornell’s prestige edge is somewhat offset by the internships I have/will have.

The $84k gap strongly favors Northwestern. Cornell’s prestige and learning environment fit pull the other way.

TLDR: Northwestern ($9k/yr) vs Cornell ($30k/yr) for CS/Engineering. Northwestern is cheaper by $84k total but has a quarter system that worries me given I feel as though I’d struggle in fast paced environments. Cornell has stronger program prestige and a semester system that suits me better, but I’d enter A&S not engineering directly. Already have a defense internship done and an upcoming Amazon internship.

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There’s no wrong answer here but clearly you prefer Cornell. I wouldn’t worry about A&S vs. Engineering.

I do worry about the $84K. For you to get NU at $9K or Cornell at $30K, you have significant need. Are you sure the family can cover this no problem?

If that’s really true than go by Cornell.

Prestige is irrelevant - top companies hire at schools like UT Chattanooga and N Georgia. You’ll be working side by side with kids from colleges that are far less selective than yours.

So affordability first - and then where you’ll be happy.

If you look at CS in the Bowers College at Cornell for 2025, 66% got a job and 29% were still in school. The average salary was $128K.

In Arts & Sciences, 62% worked and 33% were in school. The average salary was near $123K. So the delta is quite slight.

7 of the top 10 employers are the same, regardless of the school.

People that have internships get employed, no matter the school - at least have a much easier time - so you’re already well ahead of the game.

Your only concern here should be finances - and once they are sound - then you pick what you want.

Once you eliminate affordability as an issue (i.e no loans), you have free choice.

NU, by the way, shows 80% working and 18% in more school but doesn’t show salaries.

If you look at the Brown Open Source rankings - and I don’t think they matter - but Cornell is 7 and NU 24.

In the end, your distaste for Cornell should be cost - but there’s likely zero limitation that the major is in Arts & Sciences. Frankly, I can’t imagine an employer that would care or even know - your resume will show your major. My resume says Broadcast Journalism, Syracuse University - it doesn’t say Newhouse School etc

Good luck.

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Both are excellent schools! Congratulations!

Will your internship be flexible about start/end dates for you? I ask because NU’s academic calendar is so different and some companies want all their interns starting at the same time. It can be a problem for NU students.

For your intended major my nod goes to Cornell but if the $ is a problem for your family, don’t hesitate to choose NU.

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US News ranking shows Cornell engineering at #10 versus NU at #17.

Additionally, specific focus areas/specialties within each engineering dept. generate their own ranking.

Seems clear that you prefer Cornell & that Cornell’s higher price tag will not impose any hardship on you or your family suggesting that Cornell might be your better option.

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Congrats on the outstanding options. Since both are comfortably affordable for your family, choose the school you prefer. Consider academic and social fit. If you choose Cornell you should not assume a transfer to COE is guaranteed, so be certain you would be satisfied with the CS major offered in A&S.

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These are academic peers, so if the added cost of Cornell is not a hardship and you feel like it is a better fit, go head and choose Cornell.

But if the $$$ concern overshadows fit, I’m sure you’d be just fine at Northwestern too. And there, you wouldn’t have to change schools/majors.

You literally cannot go wrong, assuming Cornell is affordable.

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