Harvard vs. Cooper Union

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

 Harvard Cooper Union
Location Cambridge, MA New York, NY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 30,631 958
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu cooper.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard Cooper Union
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $44,550
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $44,550
Room & Board $19,502 $18,226
Avg Net Price $19,491 $26,194
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $39,305
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 100%

Admission

 Harvard Cooper Union
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 1,500
Admitted 1,984 337
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 22.5%
Enrolled % 83% 54.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.75
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/36 31/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1390/1530
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 1, 2025 Jan 8, 2025

Academics

 Harvard Cooper Union
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)

Outcomes

 Harvard Cooper Union
Graduation Rate 97% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $64,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $16,662
Median Loan Payment $67 $172

Diversity

 Harvard Cooper Union
% Men 46% 51%
% Women 54% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 32%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 9%
% International 11% 16%
% Unknown Race 3% 12%

Students

 Harvard Cooper Union
% In-State 15% 42%
% Out-of-State 69% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 958 students)

Harvard vs. Cooper Union Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Cooper Union?

  • Harvard University is 18.2% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($52,659.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.2% higher at Harvard than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($52,659.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Cooper Union ($19,491 vs. $26,194)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art are 7% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,226 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than Harvard University (100% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 57.2% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($61,801 vs. $39,305)

Harvard vs. Cooper Union Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Cooper Union has a higher acceptance rate (22.5%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Cooper Union Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (97% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $72,700 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $64,000)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $10,162 lower median federal student loan debt than Cooper Union graduates. ($6,500 vs. $16,662)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than Cooper Union graduates. ($67 vs. $172)
  • More Cooper Union graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 70%)

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