Cooper Union vs. RISD

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

 Cooper Union RISD
Location New York, NY Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 958 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union RISD
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $56,435
Room & Board $18,226 $15,234
Avg Net Price $26,194 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $39,305 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 34%

Admission

 Cooper Union RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,500 5,099
Admitted 337 888
Acceptance Rate 22.5% 17.4%
Enrolled % 54.3% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 31/35 29/33
SAT Range 1390/1530 1340/1525
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Cooper Union RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union RISD
Graduation Rate 76% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $172 $279

Diversity

 Cooper Union RISD
% Men 51% 33%
% Women 49% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 31%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4%
% International 16% 26%
% Unknown Race 12% 8%

Students

 Cooper Union RISD
% In-State 42% 1%
% Out-of-State 48% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rhode Island School of Design is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 958 students)

Cooper Union vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 26.7% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.7% higher at RISD than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($56,435.00 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 RISD ($26,194 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 19.6% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($15,234 vs. $18,226)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 4.9% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($39,305 vs. $37,480)

Cooper Union vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cooper Union students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • Cooper Union has a higher acceptance rate (22.5%) than RISD (17.4%)

Cooper Union vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RISD 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 $12,900 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $51,100)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $10,338 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($16,662 vs. $27,000)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $107 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($172 vs. $279)
  • More RISD 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/