Cooper Union vs. Olin College

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

Cooper Union Olin College
Location New York, NY Needham, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 983 402
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cooper Union Olin College
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $59,972
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $59,972
Room & Board $18,650 $19,820
Avg Net Price $28,199 $40,370
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $41,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Cooper Union Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 928
Admitted 341 201
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 21.7%
Enrolled % 52.8% 48.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.9
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 1480/1560
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 Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Cooper Union Olin College
Graduation Rate 76% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 75% -
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $172 $152

Diversity

Cooper Union Olin College
% Men 6% 4%
% Women 2% 3%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 53%
% Black 3% 0%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 7%
% International 16% 8%
% Unknown Race 12% 11%

Students

Cooper Union Olin College
% In-State 51% 12%
% Out-of-State 39% 79%

Campus

Cooper Union Olin College
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

  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is larger than than Olin College based on total student enrollment (983 students vs. 402 students)

Cooper Union vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Olin College?

  • Olin College of Engineering is 34.6% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($59,972.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.6% higher at Olin College than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($59,972.00 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 Olin College ($28,199 vs. $40,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art are 6.3% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($18,650 vs. $19,820)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art as Olin College of Engineering (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olin College of Engineering students is 4.9% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($41,116 vs. $39,187)

Cooper Union vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Olin College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Olin College has a higher acceptance rate (21.7%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

Cooper Union vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cooper Union or Olin College? 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 Olin College and Cooper Union.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (96% vs. 76%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $1,952 lower median federal student loan debt than Cooper Union graduates. ($14,710 vs. $16,662)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Cooper Union graduates. ($152 vs. $172)

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