Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Cornell CALS is Cornell University's land-grant college of agriculture and life sciences, educating ~4,620 students, leading the Ithaca campus in research expenditures ($291.6M in FY2024), and translating science to communities via Cooperative Extension across all 62 New York counties.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1862
- HeadquartersIthaca, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences does
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Cornell CALS) is the land-grant agricultural college within Cornell University, the only such institution in the Ivy League, founded under the Morrill Act of 1862 and renamed to include Life Sciences in 1971. CALS delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across 14 academic departments and three schools — encompassing more than 20 majors and 40+ minors — to roughly 4,620 students (3,600 undergraduates and 1,020 graduate students). It is supported by more than 600 faculty members and 1,000 staff.
Research and outreach form the second pillar of activity: CALS led Cornell's Ithaca campus in FY2024 with $291.6 million in research expenditures, operates 498 facilities and 13,000+ acres of experimental farms and forests across New York State, and runs Cornell AgriTech in Geneva. Cornell Cooperative Extension — jointly administered with the College of Human Ecology — deploys personnel into every one of New York's 62 counties and all five NYC boroughs, translating research into practical applications for farmers, communities, and policymakers. Notable technology platforms include Cornell CEA's speed breeding facility (60-85% faster plant generation cycles) and the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility.
Revenue is sourced from federal and state research grants (USDA, NSF, NIH, NYSERDA), tuition, and private philanthropy, with the largest single gift being a $55 million donation in December 2025 to establish the Cornell CALS Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment. Global programs span 61 countries through academic and research partnerships. Dean Benjamin Z. Houlton (12th dean, since 2020, reappointed 2024) leads the institution, which has over 600 faculty and recently revamped its curriculum for 2025 to emphasize hands-on experiential learning.
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Legal name
- Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Website
- https://cals.cornell.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1862
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Cornell CALS is Cornell University's land-grant college of agriculture and life sciences, educating ~4,620 students, leading the Ithaca campus in research expenditures ($291.6M in FY2024), and translating science to communities via Cooperative Extension across all 62 New York counties.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education - Agricultural and Life Sciences
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land-Grant Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAB)
Keywords
Where Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ithaca
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Research Funding and Grants: Federal, state, and private research funding including grants from USDA, NSF, NIH, and industry partners. CALS led Cornell's Ithaca campus in research expenditures with $291.6 million in fiscal year 2024.
- Tuition and Fees: Tuition revenue from undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in CALS programs
- Private Philanthropy: Gifts and donations including the $55 million gift to establish the Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment in December 2025
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Chobani Scholars Program - $20,000 scholarship for undergraduate students in agriculture-related fields from New York |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cornell CALS is a higher education college within Cornell University that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across agriculture, life sciences, environmental science, food systems, and global development. It conducts scientific research through more than 600 faculty members across 14 academic departments and three schools, manages Cornell AgriTech and the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station, and operates the statewide Cornell Cooperative Extension network delivering research-based knowledge to New York farmers, families, and communities.
Product overview
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is an educational institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across agriculture, life sciences, environmental studies, and related fields. As the only land-grant agricultural college in the Ivy League, CALS provides educational programs, conducts research, and operates extension services through Cornell Cooperative Extension across New York State. The institution encompasses multiple academic departments, schools, and research facilities including Cornell AgriTech, various research labs, and experimental farms. CALS does not offer commercial software products or technology platforms; its primary offerings are academic education, research services, and community extension programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Undergraduate Degree Programs
Companies that use Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- ChobaniflagshipChobani Scholars Program established to support students pursuing studies in agriculture, food and animal science. Each scholar receives $20,000 scholarship. Since inception in 2019, program has selected undergraduate students from New York as Chobani scholars.
- Cornell Cooperative ExtensioncoreStatewide extension system with Cornell Cooperative Extension personnel stationed in every county of New York State and all five NYC boroughs, delivering research-based solutions to agricultural and community challenges
- College of Human EcologycoreJoint partnership for leadership of Cornell Cooperative Extension throughout New York State, sharing responsibility between CALS and the College of Human Ecology
- Boyce Thompson InstitutecoreResearch collaboration with Boyce Thompson Institute located on Cornell campus, focused on plant science research and development
- Cornell Atkinson Center for SustainabilitycoreInterdisciplinary research center addressing sustainability challenges through collaboration across Cornell colleges and external partners
- International Universities and Organizations (61 countries)flagshipGlobal partnerships with universities, governments, NGOs, and private sector in 61 countries supporting health and well-being of people and the planet through collaborative research and capacity building
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences: A leading land-grant agricultural college with comparable scale of research expenditures, extension mandate (UC ANR), and global development portfolio. Dean Houlton was previously a UC Davis faculty member, making the institutional overlap especially direct.
- Purdue University College of Agriculture: Major land-grant agricultural college with strong research expenditures, statewide extension footprint, and a similar mix of animal, plant, and life sciences programs. One of the most direct comparables to CALS in scale and mission.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of ACES: A peer land-grant college of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences with a comparable research expenditure base, extension service, and broad life sciences coverage that mirrors CALS's academic portfolio.
- Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Direct land-grant peer with similar naming convention (CALS), strong extension footprint, and significant R&D expenditures in agriculture and life sciences — a structural twin of Cornell CALS.
- Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences: A land-grant agricultural college with a similarly broad portfolio spanning animal, plant, environmental, and life sciences, plus a statewide extension network. Closely comparable in mission and operating model.
- Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Land-grant agricultural and natural resources college with strong research expenditure base and a long-established cooperative extension service. Operates at a scale and breadth directly comparable to CALS.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences: Land-grant CALS peer with parallel naming, statewide extension model, and comparable life sciences scope. Operates a similarly large research enterprise tied to agriculture and environmental sciences.
- Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Large land-grant agricultural college with massive research expenditures, a robust extension service (Texas A&M AgriLife), and broad life sciences scope — a direct scale and mission peer.
- Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences: Land-grant CFAES college with similar scale, statewide extension mandate, and combined food, agricultural, and environmental sciences portfolio that closely matches CALS's academic structure.
- University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences: Land-grant college with a comparable combined food, agricultural, and natural resource sciences portfolio and an extension-driven research translation model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences social profiles
Digital presenceCornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
What does Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences do?
Cornell CALS is a higher education college within Cornell University that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across agriculture, life sciences, environmental science, food systems, and global development. It conducts scientific research through more than 600 faculty members across 14 academic departments and three schools, manages Cornell AgriTech and the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station, and operates the statewide Cornell Cooperative Extension network delivering research-based knowledge to New York farmers, families, and communities.
Is Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences a public or private company?
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences founded?
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences was founded in 1862. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences based?
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is headquartered in Ithaca, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Research Funding and Grants are the primary driver. The others are tuition and Fees and private Philanthropy.
Who are Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Purdue University College of Agriculture, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of ACES, Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.
Does Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
What industry is Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in?
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences's product category is Higher Education - Agricultural and Life Sciences. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAB, Land-Grant Public Research Universities. Its NAICS code is 6113.