Cooper Union vs. Carnegie Mellon

Should I go to Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art or Carnegie Mellon University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cooper Union or Carnegie Mellon 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

NYU Johns Hopkins Case Western Cornell Emory Penn Duke Georgetown WUSTL Swarthmore Caltech Harvard
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art vs. Carnegie Mellon University comparison
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Carnegie Mellon University College 3 College 4
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Carnegie Mellon University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Cooper Union Carnegie Mellon
Location New York, NY Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 983 15,596
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #43
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $62,260
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $62,260
Room & Board $18,650 $17,468
Avg Net Price $28,199 $32,964
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $47,550
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 49%

Admission

 Cooper Union Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 33,707
Admitted 341 3,843
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 11.4%
Enrolled % 52.8% 44.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
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 1, 2026

Academics

 Cooper Union Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 76% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $172 $271

Diversity

 Cooper Union Carnegie Mellon
% Men 6% 32%
% Women 2% 21%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 32%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4%
% International 16% 18%
% Unknown Race 12% 5%

Students

 Cooper Union Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 51% 9%
% Out-of-State 39% 71%

Campus

 Cooper Union Carnegie Mellon
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

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (15,596 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 39.8% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($62,260.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.8% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($62,260.00 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 Carnegie Mellon ($28,199 vs. $32,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carnegie Mellon University are 6.8% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($17,468 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Carnegie Mellon University (100% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 21.3% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($47,550 vs. $39,187)

Cooper Union vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Cooper Union has a higher acceptance rate (19.1%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.4%)

Cooper Union vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cooper Union or Carnegie Mellon? 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 Carnegie Mellon and Cooper Union.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $38,700 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $64,000)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $9,588 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($16,662 vs. $26,250)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($172 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 75%)

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