Cooper Union vs. Penn State

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

 Cooper Union Penn State
Location New York, NY University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 958 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union Penn State
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $35,946
Room & Board $18,226 $12,744
Avg Net Price $26,194 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $39,305 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

 Cooper Union Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,500 85,784
Admitted 337 47,360
Acceptance Rate 22.5% 55.2%
Enrolled % 54.3% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/35 26/31
SAT Range 1390/1530 1210/1390
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, 2025

Academics

 Cooper Union Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 Cooper Union Penn State
% Men 51% 53%
% Women 49% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 69%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 3%
% International 16% 11%
% Unknown Race 12% 2%

Students

 Cooper Union Penn State
% In-State 42% 51%
% Out-of-State 48% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 958 students)

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Penn State?

  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is 142.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($44,550.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.9% higher at Cooper Union than Penn State Main Campus ($44,550.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • 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 Penn State ($26,194 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 43% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($12,744 vs. $18,226)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 290.5% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($39,305 vs. $10,066)

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Cooper Union (22.5%)

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cooper Union or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Cooper Union.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art earn on average $8,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $10,156 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($16,662 vs. $26,818)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans 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/