Use this page to explore summary statistics for research master’s programs administered by the Graduate School. Methodology and definitions are provided at the bottom of the page. 

For additional statistics, survey results, and career outcomes data, see program metrics.

Methodology and Definitions

Applications, Admissions, and Matriculations

Applied, admitted and matriculated counts are reported for new, external applications only. Current students who transfer into a different graduate program at Cornell without submitting a new application are not counted here.

Individuals may defer enrollment and/or be admitted to a program that differs from the one to which they originally applied. This can cause admitted and matriculated counts to be higher than application counts in some fields. 

Admission cycles start in the summer and continue through the following spring. For example, the 2020-21 admissions year includes data from summer 2020 through spring 2021. Because these dashboards are updated annually in the fall, the most recent year will not include data from the spring.

Average Admit Rate

Admit rate is the percentage of applicants who were admitted. Highly selective programs tend to have low admit rates. The five year average provides a good indicator of typical admit rates.

Enrollment

Enrollment numbers are derived from the student enrollment snapshot that is captured the sixth week of each fall term. Only students who are enrolled on the census date are counted. Students on an approved leave of absence are not included.

Average Completion Rate

Completion rate is the percentage of entering master’s students who successfully completed the degree. Completion rates are reported by entering cohort, which is defined by the first term in which a student is enrolled in their master’s program. The cohorts included here entered their programs two to four years ago, and thus have had adequate time to finish a master’s degree. 

Status of Students in Each Recent Entering Cohort

This graph shows the current status of students who began the program in each of the last ten academic years. Students listed as completed have received the master’s degree. Students are considered current in their program if they are still actively pursuing the degree or are on an approved temporary leave of absence. Students listed as discontinued have either left the university without a degree or switched to a different type of degree program.