Cooper Union vs. RPI

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

 Cooper Union RPI
Location New York, NY Troy, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 983 7,024
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union RPI
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $60,360
Room & Board $18,650 $17,530
Avg Net Price $28,199 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 Cooper Union RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 16,283
Admitted 341 9,517
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 58.4%
Enrolled % 52.8% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/34 30/34
SAT Range 1400/1520 1330/1500
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 15, 2026

Academics

 Cooper Union RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union RPI
Graduation Rate 76% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $172 $284

Diversity

 Cooper Union RPI
% Men 6% 10%
% Women 2% 5%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 59%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 7%
% International 16% 11%
% Unknown Race 12% 2%

Students

 Cooper Union RPI
% In-State 51% 36%
% Out-of-State 39% 58%

Campus

 Cooper Union RPI
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

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (7,024 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 35.5% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.5% higher at RPI than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($60,360.00 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 RPI ($28,199 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 6.4% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($17,530 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 12.3% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($43,994 vs. $39,187)

Cooper Union vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

Cooper Union vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (84% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $18,500 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $64,000)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $10,838 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($16,662 vs. $27,500)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $112 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($172 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 75%)

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