Cooper Union vs. William & Mary

Comparable Facts

Compare The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, NY with William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

William & Mary is larger than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (9,818 students vs. 933 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); William & Mary is in Williamsburg, VA (Large Suburban setting).
• The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. William & Mary is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art 8:1; William & Mary 12:1.

Cooper Union vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or William & Mary? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William & Mary than Cooper Union ($19,686 vs. $26,283).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William & Mary are 15.2% lower than at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($16,182 vs. $19,090).
• The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is 80.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than William & Mary (about $20,906 more per year; $46,820.00 vs. $25,914.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9% higher at William & Mary than at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (about $4,218 more per year; $51,038.00 vs. $46,820.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than at William & Mary (100% vs. 43%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 67.5% larger than aid received by William & Mary students ($38,755 vs. $23,144).

Cooper Union vs. William & Mary Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cooper Union or William & Mary? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between William & Mary and Cooper Union.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at William & Mary (1470) is 70 points higher than at Cooper Union (1400).
• Incoming William & Mary students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 31 at Cooper Union).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art 1295/1501; William & Mary 1400/1530.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art 28/34; William & Mary 32/34.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cooper Union - Test optional; William & Mary - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cooper Union Jan 8, 2027; William & Mary Jan 2, 2027.
• Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Cooper Union (3.75).
• William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate (34.1%) than Cooper Union (20.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 52.4% at Cooper Union vs. 26.6% at William & Mary.

Cooper Union vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cooper Union and William & Mary? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• William & Mary's six-year graduation rate (91%) is higher than The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art's (76%).
• Graduates from William & Mary earn a median of about $4,700 more per year than Cooper Union graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,700 vs. $64,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art graduates have a $2,838 lower median loan debt than William & Mary graduates ($16,662 vs. $19,500).
• Among borrowers, Cooper Union graduates have an estimated $29 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than William & Mary graduates ($172 vs. $201).
• More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.