Cooper Union vs. RIT

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

 Cooper Union RIT
Location New York, NY Rochester, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 958 16,615
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #172
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu rit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union RIT
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $53,720
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $53,720
Room & Board $18,226 $14,978
Avg Net Price $26,194 $39,600
Avg Grant Aid $39,305 $29,122
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

 Cooper Union RIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,500 23,976
Admitted 337 16,105
Acceptance Rate 22.5% 67.2%
Enrolled % 54.3% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/35 29/33
SAT Range 1390/1530 1270/1450
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Cooper Union RIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Engineering Technology (11%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union RIT
Graduation Rate 76% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $64,900
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $172 $289

Diversity

 Cooper Union RIT
% Men 51% 65%
% Women 49% 35%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 66%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 3%
% International 16% 6%
% Unknown Race 12% 5%

Students

 Cooper Union RIT
% In-State 42% 47%
% Out-of-State 48% 49%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (16,615 students vs. 958 students)

Cooper Union vs. RIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or RIT ?

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is 20.6% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($53,720.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.6% higher at RIT than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($53,720.00 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 RIT ($26,194 vs. $39,600)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 21.7% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($14,978 vs. $18,226)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Rochester Institute of Technology (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 35% larger than aid received Rochester Institute of Technology ($39,305 vs. $29,122)

Cooper Union vs. RIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cooper Union students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at RIT (3.7)
  • RIT has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than Cooper Union (22.5%)

Cooper Union vs. RIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cooper Union is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (76% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Rochester Institute of Technology earn on average $900 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($64,900 vs. $64,000)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $11,338 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($16,662 vs. $28,000)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $117 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($172 vs. $289)
  • More RIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 75%)

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