Cooper Union vs. John Jay

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

 Cooper Union John Jay
Location New York, NY New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 983 13,510
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #556
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union John Jay
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $14,880
Room & Board $18,650 $21,788
Avg Net Price $28,199 $4,141
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $9,284
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 87%

Admission

 Cooper Union John Jay
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 17,921
Admitted 341 10,255
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 57.2%
Enrolled % 52.8% 19.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.24
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/34
SAT Range 1400/1520 1000/1250
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

Academics

 Cooper Union John Jay
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (54%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Legal Professions (5%)
  • Human Services (3%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union John Jay
Graduation Rate 76% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $10,000
Median Loan Payment $172 $103

Diversity

 Cooper Union John Jay
% Men 6% 4%
% Women 2% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 18%
% Black 3% 17%
% Hispanic 9% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 2%
% International 16% 3%
% Unknown Race 12% 0%

Students

 Cooper Union John Jay
% In-State 51% 90%
% Out-of-State 39% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (13,510 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. John Jay Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or John Jay?

  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is 542.9% more expensive to attend than John Jay for in-state tuition ($44,550.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 199.4% higher at Cooper Union than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($44,550.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice than Cooper Union ($4,141 vs. $28,199)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art are 16.8% lower than costs at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($18,650 vs. $21,788)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 322.1% larger than aid received CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($39,187 vs. $9,284)

Cooper Union vs. John Jay Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cooper Union students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at John Jay (3.24)
  • John Jay has a higher acceptance rate (57.2%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

Cooper Union vs. John Jay Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cooper Union or John Jay? 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 John Jay and Cooper Union.

  • The graduation rate at Cooper Union is higher than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (76% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art earn on average $16,100 more per year than John Jay graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $47,900)
  • CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice students graduate with a $6,662 lower median federal student loan debt than Cooper Union graduates. ($10,000 vs. $16,662)
  • John Jay graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than Cooper Union graduates. ($103 vs. $172)
  • More Cooper Union graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former John Jay students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 52%)

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