Cooper Union vs. Rhodes College

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

Cooper Union Rhodes College
Location New York, NY Memphis, TN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 983 1,952
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #136
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu rhodes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cooper Union Rhodes College
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $54,082
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $54,082
Room & Board $18,650 $12,910
Avg Net Price $28,199 $30,590
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $37,543
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Cooper Union Rhodes College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 6,025
Admitted 341 2,993
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 49.7%
Enrolled % 52.8% 16.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/34 28/33
SAT Range 1400/1520 1290/1490
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 Rhodes College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

Cooper Union Rhodes College
Graduation Rate 76% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $59,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $26,217
Median Loan Payment $172 $271

Diversity

Cooper Union Rhodes College
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 2% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 32% 74%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4%
% International 16% 3%
% Unknown Race 12% 2%

Students

Cooper Union Rhodes College
% In-State 51% 36%
% Out-of-State 39% 59%

Campus

Cooper Union Rhodes College
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

  • Rhodes College is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (1,952 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. Rhodes College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Rhodes College?

  • Rhodes College is 21.4% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($54,082.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.4% higher at Rhodes College than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($54,082.00 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 Rhodes College ($28,199 vs. $30,590)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhodes College are 44.5% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($12,910 vs. $18,650)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art as Rhodes College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 4.4% larger than aid received Rhodes College ($39,187 vs. $37,543)

Cooper Union vs. Rhodes College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Rhodes College students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Rhodes College has a higher acceptance rate (49.7%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

Cooper Union vs. Rhodes College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cooper Union or Rhodes College? 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 Rhodes College and Cooper Union.

  • The graduation rate at Cooper Union is higher than Rhodes College (76% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art earn on average $4,600 more per year than Rhodes College graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $59,400)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $9,555 lower median federal student loan debt than Rhodes College graduates. ($16,662 vs. $26,217)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than Rhodes College graduates. ($172 vs. $271)
  • More Rhodes College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 75%)

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