AU vs. Cooper Union

Should I go to American University or Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Cooper Union is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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American University vs. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art comparison
American University Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art College 3 College 4
American University Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
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Overview

 AU Cooper Union
Location Washington, DC New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,019 983
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #84
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu cooper.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU Cooper Union
Tuition (In State) $55,724 $44,550
Tuition (Out of State) $55,724 $44,550
Room & Board $17,012 $18,650
Avg Net Price $40,189 $28,199
Avg Grant Aid $31,402 $39,187
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 100%

Admission

 AU Cooper Union
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,786 1,790
Admitted 8,427 341
Acceptance Rate 47.4% 19.1%
Enrolled % 22% 52.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/33 33/34
SAT Range 1300/1450 1400/1520
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Jan 8, 2026

Academics

 AU Cooper Union
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)

Outcomes

 AU Cooper Union
Graduation Rate 77% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $64,000
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $16,662
Median Loan Payment $250 $172

Diversity

 AU Cooper Union
% Men 15% 6%
% Women 25% 2%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 32%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 9%
% International 7% 16%
% Unknown Race 4% 12%

Students

 AU Cooper Union
% In-State 2% 51%
% Out-of-State 94% 39%

Campus

 AU Cooper Union
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (13,019 students vs. 983 students)

AU vs. Cooper Union Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Cooper Union?

  • American University is 25.1% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($55,724.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.1% higher at AU than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($55,724.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than AU ($28,199 vs. $40,189)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 9.6% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($17,012 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than American University (100% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 24.8% larger than aid received American University ($39,187 vs. $31,402)

AU vs. Cooper Union Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or Cooper Union? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cooper Union or AU .

  • Accepted freshman Cooper Union students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at AU (3.7)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (47.4%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

AU vs. Cooper Union Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Cooper Union? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cooper Union and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (77% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $800 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $64,000)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $7,588 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($16,662 vs. $24,250)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($172 vs. $250)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/