Cooper Union vs. Brown

Should I go to Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art or Brown University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cooper Union or Brown 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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Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art vs. Brown University comparison
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Brown University College 3 College 4
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Brown University
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Overview

 Cooper Union Brown
Location New York, NY Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 983 11,516
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union Brown
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $65,656
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $65,656
Room & Board $18,650 $16,598
Avg Net Price $28,199 $26,608
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $58,378
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 51%

Admission

 Cooper Union Brown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 51,316
Admitted 341 2,686
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 5.2%
Enrolled % 52.8% 63.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/34 34/35
SAT Range 1400/1520 1500/1570
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 8, 2026 Jan 5, 2026

Academics

 Cooper Union Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union Brown
Graduation Rate 76% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $87,600
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $172 $155

Diversity

 Cooper Union Brown
% Men 6% 15%
% Women 2% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 43%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 6%
% International 16% 12%
% Unknown Race 12% 7%

Students

 Cooper Union Brown
% In-State 51% 3%
% Out-of-State 39% 81%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Brown University is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (11,516 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Brown?

  • Brown University is 47.4% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($65,656.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.4% higher at Brown than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($65,656.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brown University than Cooper Union ($26,608 vs. $28,199)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 12.4% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($16,598 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Brown University (100% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Brown University students is 49% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($58,378 vs. $39,187)

Cooper Union vs. Brown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Brown students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Cooper Union has a higher acceptance rate (19.1%) than Brown (5.2%)

Cooper Union vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cooper Union or Brown? 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 Brown and Cooper Union.

  • The graduation rate at Brown is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (95% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Brown University earn on average $23,600 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($87,600 vs. $64,000)
  • Brown University students graduate with a $1,662 lower median federal student loan debt than Cooper Union graduates. ($15,000 vs. $16,662)
  • Brown graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Cooper Union graduates. ($155 vs. $172)
  • More Brown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 75%)

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