Cooper Union vs. Penn State Brandywine

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

 Cooper Union Penn State Brandywine
Location New York, NY Media, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 983 1,223
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #766
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union Penn State Brandywine
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $24,562
Room & Board $18,650 $13,820
Avg Net Price $28,199 $21,739
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $9,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 69%

Admission

 Cooper Union Penn State Brandywine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 2,461
Admitted 341 2,346
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 95.3%
Enrolled % 52.8% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 33/34 18/29
SAT Range 1400/1520 1110/1340
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 Penn State Brandywine
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Work and Family Studies (28%)
  • Communication (23%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union Penn State Brandywine
Graduation Rate 76% 37%
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 Brandywine
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 2% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 63%
% Black 3% 15%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 2%
% International 16% 1%
% Unknown Race 12% 2%

Students

 Cooper Union Penn State Brandywine
% In-State 51% 74%
% Out-of-State 39% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Brandywine is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (1,223 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Brandywine Cost Comparison

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

  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is 204.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Brandywine for in-state tuition ($44,550.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.4% higher at Cooper Union than Penn State Brandywine ($44,550.00 vs. $24,562.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Brandywine than Cooper Union ($21,739 vs. $28,199)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Brandywine are 34.9% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($13,820 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Penn State Brandywine (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 317.8% larger than aid received Penn State Brandywine ($39,187 vs. $9,380)

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Brandywine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

Cooper Union vs. Penn State Brandywine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cooper Union is higher than Penn State Brandywine (76% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art earn on average $8,700 more per year than Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine graduates. ($16,662 vs. $26,818)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Brandywine graduates. ($172 vs. $277)
  • More Cooper Union graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Brandywine 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/