Cooper Union vs. Penn State

Deciding between The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cooper Union New York, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Cooper Union Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Cooper Union 933
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Cooper Union Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cooper Union
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cooper Union -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Cooper Union Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cooper Union
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cooper Union $46,820
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cooper Union $46,820
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Cooper Union $19,090
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Cooper Union $26,283
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cooper Union $38,755
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cooper Union 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cooper Union 1,806
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Cooper Union 374
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cooper Union 20.7%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Cooper Union 52.4%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cooper Union 1400
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cooper Union 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cooper Union 3.75
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cooper Union A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cooper Union Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cooper Union Very High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Cooper Union 28/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Cooper Union 1295/1501
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cooper Union Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Cooper Union Jan 8, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cooper Union 8:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cooper Union
    • Engineering (58%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
    • Architecture (11%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cooper Union 76%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cooper Union $64,000
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cooper Union 75%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cooper Union $16,662
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cooper Union $172
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cooper Union 49%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Cooper Union 51%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cooper Union Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Cooper Union No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Cooper Union 32%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Cooper Union 18%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Cooper Union 3%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cooper Union 9%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Cooper Union 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cooper Union 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cooper Union 9%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Cooper Union 16%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cooper Union 12%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cooper Union 52%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cooper Union 39%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cooper Union Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cooper Union No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Cooper Union No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cooper Union No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cooper Union No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, NY with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (50,737 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); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art 8:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Penn State? 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 The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Penn State ($26,283 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 24.2% lower than at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($14,474 vs. $19,090).
  • The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is 126.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $26,176 more per year; $46,820.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 12% higher at Cooper Union than at Penn State Main Campus (about $5,030 more per year; $46,820.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 241.9% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($38,755 vs. $11,336).

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cooper Union or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Cooper Union.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (1400) is 70 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Cooper Union students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art 1295/1501; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art 28/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cooper Union - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Cooper Union Jan 8, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Cooper Union (20.7%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 52.4% at Cooper Union vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cooper Union and Penn State? 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art's (76%).
  • Graduates from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art earn a median of about $8,700 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($64,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art graduates have a $10,156 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($16,662 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Cooper Union graduates have an estimated $105 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($172 vs. $277).
  • More Cooper Union graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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.