ROTC at Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · private nonprofit
Yes — Cornell University hosts Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC on campus.
ROTC programs hosted on campus
Cornell University hosts 3 ROTC programs on its own campus. Open a program to see its full profile, scholarships, and partner schools.
Navy/Marine ROTCHostedVerifiedNROTC Cornell University trains midshipmen at Cornell University for service in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.
Scholarships: NROTC Navy Option 4-Year Scholarship, NROTC Marine Option 4-Year Scholarship
View full Navy
Army ROTCHostedVerifiedArmy ROTC at Cornell University trains cadets for the U.S. Army in New York.
Scholarships: AROTC Minuteman (Reserve/Guard), AROTC Green-to-Gold, AROTC 3-Year Advanced +1 more
Also serves 5 cross-town schools.
View full Army
Air Force/Space Force ROTCHostedVerifiedAFROTC at Cornell University commissions officers alongside Ithaca College cross-town students.
Scholarships: AFROTC HSSP Type 2 ($18k cap), AFROTC In-College Scholarship Program, AFROTC HSSP Type 4 ($36k cap) +1 more
Also serves 4 cross-town schools.
View full Air ForceCross-town & partner options
Cornell University students commission through the on-campus program above.
ROTC outcomes
Students at Cornell University in ROTC, from any branch and any unit. Averages per academic year, AY2011–AY2021.
- About 15 officers commissioned per year, all services
- About 30 students start ROTC here each year
Officers commissioned, by group
- Men71%
- White74%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Students starting ROTC, by group
- Women33%
- Men66%
- White62%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Source: GAO, GAO-23-105857 (campus data, AY2011–AY2021). GAO counted cadets and commissions by the school the student attended. Numbers for recent years can differ.
Admissions
| Admission rate | 9% |
|---|---|
| SAT range (25th–75th) | 1,500–1,570 |
| ACT range (25th–75th) | 33–35 |
| Test policy | Test-optional |
These are the most recent College Scorecard figures. The school decides admission. An ROTC scholarship board judges your academics on its own, in a separate process.
Cost & financial aid (with ROTC)
| In-state tuition | $69,314 |
|---|---|
| Out-of-state tuition | $69,314 |
| Average net price | $32,000 |
| 6-year graduation rate | 95% |
Tuition and net price: College Scorecard. You can usually combine an ROTC scholarship with other aid from Cornell University. Ask the unit and the financial aid office to confirm how the aid combines.
Academic programs
Cornell University has 15,995 undergraduates. ROTC cadets can study almost any major. Some scholarships and commissioning options prefer certain fields.
Yellow Ribbon & veteran support
Yellow Ribbon is a GI Bill benefit for veterans and eligible dependents, not an ROTC scholarship. The school pays part of the tuition above the GI Bill cap, and VA matches it.
Yellow Ribbon: Cornell University takes part. Undergraduate contributions have no dollar cap.
| Level | Program | School pays (per year) |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | All programs | Unlimited |
| Graduate | Agriculture and Life Sciences | Unlimited |
| Graduate | Architecture, Art, and Planning | Unlimited |
| Graduate | Bowers Computing and Information Science | Unlimited |
| Graduate | Brooks Public Policy | Unlimited |
| Graduate | Dyson Applied Economics and Management | Unlimited |
And 10 more programs on the VA page.
Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool, checked Oct 14, 2026. Confirm amounts with the school's veterans office before you enroll.
ROTC at Cornell University: FAQ
Does Cornell University have ROTC?
Yes — Cornell University hosts Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC on campus.
Which ROTC branches can Cornell University students join?
Army ROTC (on campus, Big Red Battalion (Cornell)), Navy ROTC (on campus, NROTC Cornell University) and Air Force ROTC (on campus, Detachment 520 Cornell University).
Is ROTC at Cornell University on campus or cross-town?
Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC are on campus: the unit is based at Cornell University.
Can I use an ROTC scholarship at Cornell University?
Yes. The on-campus Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC units list 10 scholarship types, including NROTC Navy Option 4-Year Scholarship and NROTC Marine Option 4-Year Scholarship.
School links and location
These links belong to Cornell University. To ask about an ROTC program, open that program above and use the unit's own contact details. ROTCScholar is not the school and not the unit.
- Official site
cornell.edu
- Admissions
admissions.cornell.edu
- Apply
commonapp.org
- Financial aid
finaid.cornell.edu
- Net price calculator
Estimate your cost before ROTC money is applied
- Veteran & military services
Campus office for GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon, and military students
Location: Ithaca, NY 14853
IPEDS UNITID: 190415
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ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We are not an ROTC unit, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military. Check details with the unit before you act on them.