Cooper Union vs. Vassar

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

 Cooper Union Vassar
Location New York, NY Poughkeepsie, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 983 2,456
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #46
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cooper.edu vassar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cooper Union Vassar
Tuition (In State) $44,550 $66,870
Tuition (Out of State) $44,550 $66,870
Room & Board $18,650 $17,415
Avg Net Price $28,199 $29,733
Avg Grant Aid $39,187 $53,840
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 58%

Admission

 Cooper Union Vassar
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,790 12,145
Admitted 341 2,153
Acceptance Rate 19.1% 17.7%
Enrolled % 52.8% 32%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/34 33/35
SAT Range 1400/1520 1435/1550
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 1, 2026

Academics

 Cooper Union Vassar
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

 Cooper Union Vassar
Graduation Rate 76% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,662 $15,780
Median Loan Payment $172 $163

Diversity

 Cooper Union Vassar
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 2% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 59%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 6%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 12% 0%

Students

 Cooper Union Vassar
% In-State 51% 28%
% Out-of-State 39% 64%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Vassar College is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (2,456 students vs. 983 students)

Cooper Union vs. Vassar Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cooper Union or Vassar?

  • Vassar College is 50.1% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($66,870.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.1% higher at Vassar than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($66,870.00 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 Vassar ($28,199 vs. $29,733)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vassar College are 7.1% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($17,415 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Vassar College (100% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vassar College students is 37.4% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($53,840 vs. $39,187)

Cooper Union vs. Vassar Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Vassar students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Cooper Union has a higher acceptance rate (19.1%) than Vassar (17.7%)

Cooper Union vs. Vassar Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (91% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art earn on average $5,600 more per year than Vassar graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $58,400)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $882 lower median federal student loan debt than Cooper Union graduates. ($15,780 vs. $16,662)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Cooper Union graduates. ($163 vs. $172)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cooper Union students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 75%)

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