Cooper Union vs. SUNY Poly

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

 Cooper Union SUNY Poly
Location New York, NY Utica, NY
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 983 2,704
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #307
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu sunyit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union SUNY Poly
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $18,720
Room & Board $18,650 $14,750
Avg Net Price $28,199 $14,646
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $8,137
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 90%

Admission

 Cooper Union SUNY Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 4,936
Admitted 341 3,872
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 78.4%
Enrolled % 52.8% 10%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 33/34 24/27
SAT Range 1400/1520 1150/1330
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Cooper Union SUNY Poly
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union SUNY Poly
Graduation Rate 76% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $53,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $16,585
Median Loan Payment $172 $171

Diversity

 Cooper Union SUNY Poly
% Men 6% 11%
% Women 2% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 32% 79%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 2%
% International 16% 1%
% Unknown Race 12% 0%

Students

 Cooper Union SUNY Poly
% In-State 51% 95%
% Out-of-State 39% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (2,704 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. SUNY Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or SUNY Poly?

  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is 530.1% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($44,550.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 138% higher at Cooper Union than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($44,550.00 vs. $18,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Cooper Union ($14,646 vs. $28,199)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 26.4% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($14,750 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 381.6% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($39,187 vs. $8,137)

Cooper Union vs. SUNY Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cooper Union students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at SUNY Poly (3.7)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

Cooper Union vs. SUNY Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cooper Union or SUNY Poly? 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 SUNY Poly and Cooper Union.

  • The graduation rate at Cooper Union is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (76% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art earn on average $10,800 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $53,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $77 lower median federal student loan debt than Cooper Union graduates. ($16,585 vs. $16,662)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Cooper Union graduates. ($171 vs. $172)
  • More Cooper Union graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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