Cooper Union vs. Lehigh

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

Cooper Union Lehigh
Location New York, NY Bethlehem, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 983 7,590
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cooper Union Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $61,180
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $61,180
Room & Board $18,650 $16,470
Avg Net Price $28,199 $33,289
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $43,644
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 59%

Admission

Cooper Union Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 18,415
Admitted 341 5,389
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 29.3%
Enrolled % 52.8% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 33/34 31/33
SAT Range 1400/1520 1350/1490
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 Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Cooper Union Lehigh
Graduation Rate 76% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $172 $250

Diversity

Cooper Union Lehigh
% Men 6% 12%
% Women 2% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 66%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 3%
% International 16% 8%
% Unknown Race 12% 3%

Students

Cooper Union Lehigh
% In-State 51% 23%
% Out-of-State 39% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 37.3% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.3% higher at Lehigh than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($61,180.00 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 Lehigh ($28,199 vs. $33,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 13.2% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($16,470 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Lehigh University (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 11.4% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($43,644 vs. $39,187)

Cooper Union vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Lehigh students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Lehigh has a higher acceptance rate (29.3%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

Cooper Union vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Lehigh is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $25,200 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $64,000)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $7,594 lower median federal student loan debt than Lehigh graduates. ($16,662 vs. $24,256)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Lehigh graduates. ($172 vs. $250)
  • More Lehigh 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/