Cooper Union vs. Swarthmore

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

Cooper Union Swarthmore
Location New York, NY Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 958 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cooper Union Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $58,928
Room & Board $18,226 $18,026
Avg Net Price $26,194 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $39,305 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 63%

Admission

Cooper Union Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,500 14,707
Admitted 337 1,019
Acceptance Rate 22.5% 6.9%
Enrolled % 54.3% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/35 32/35
SAT Range 1390/1530 1440/1560
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 4, 2025

Academics

Cooper Union Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Cooper Union Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 76% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $172 $201

Diversity

Cooper Union Swarthmore
% Men 51% 49%
% Women 49% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 42%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 8%
% International 16% 11%
% Unknown Race 12% 3%

Students

Cooper Union Swarthmore
% In-State 42% 10%
% Out-of-State 48% 75%

Campus

Cooper Union Swarthmore
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

  • Swarthmore College is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (1,625 students vs. 958 students)

Cooper Union vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 32.3% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.3% higher at Swarthmore than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($58,928.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Cooper Union ($20,715 vs. $26,194)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 1.1% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($18,026 vs. $18,226)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 21.4% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($47,703 vs. $39,305)

Cooper Union vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Cooper Union has a higher acceptance rate (22.5%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Cooper Union vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (95% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $1,800 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $64,000)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $2,838 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($16,662 vs. $19,500)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($172 vs. $201)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)

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