Cooper Union vs. Penn

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

Cooper Union Penn
Location New York, NY Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 958 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cooper Union Penn
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $56,212
Room & Board $18,226 $17,888
Avg Net Price $26,194 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $39,305 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 46%

Admission

Cooper Union Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,500 54,588
Admitted 337 3,549
Acceptance Rate 22.5% 6.5%
Enrolled % 54.3% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/35 34/35
SAT Range 1390/1530 1500/1570
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 5, 2025

Academics

Cooper Union Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Cooper Union Penn
Graduation Rate 76% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $172 $213

Diversity

Cooper Union Penn
% Men 51% 44%
% Women 49% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 45%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4%
% International 16% 11%
% Unknown Race 12% 3%

Students

Cooper Union Penn
% In-State 42% 16%
% Out-of-State 48% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 958 students)

Cooper Union vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Penn?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 26.2% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.2% higher at Penn than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($56,212.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Cooper Union ($26,123 vs. $26,194)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pennsylvania are 1.9% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($17,888 vs. $18,226)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 45.5% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($57,175 vs. $39,305)

Cooper Union vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Cooper Union has a higher acceptance rate (22.5%) than Penn (6.5%)

Cooper Union vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (96% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $59,600 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $64,000)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $3,971 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($16,662 vs. $20,633)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($172 vs. $213)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 75%)

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