UMBC vs. Cooper Union

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

 UMBC Cooper Union
Location Baltimore, MD New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 14,148 983
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #263
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu cooper.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC Cooper Union
Tuition (In State) $9,238 $44,550
Tuition (Out of State) $26,594 $44,550
Room & Board $14,204 $18,650
Avg Net Price $17,704 $28,199
Avg Grant Aid $9,956 $39,187
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 100%

Admission

 UMBC Cooper Union
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,150 1,790
Admitted 9,762 341
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 19.1%
Enrolled % 20.3% 52.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 23/30 33/34
SAT Range 1220/1410 1400/1520
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 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 8, 2026

Academics

 UMBC Cooper Union
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)

Outcomes

 UMBC Cooper Union
Graduation Rate 57% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $64,000
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $16,662
Median Loan Payment $219 $172

Diversity

 UMBC Cooper Union
% Men 14% 6%
% Women 12% 2%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 32%
% Black 17% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 9%
% International 4% 16%
% Unknown Race 4% 12%

Students

 UMBC Cooper Union
% In-State 85% 51%
% Out-of-State 6% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (14,148 students vs. 983 students)

UMBC vs. Cooper Union Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Cooper Union?

  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is 382.2% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($44,550.00 vs. $9,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.5% higher at Cooper Union than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($44,550.00 vs. $26,594.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Cooper Union ($17,704 vs. $28,199)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 31.3% lower than costs at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($14,204 vs. $18,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than University of Maryland Baltimore County (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students is 293.6% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($39,187 vs. $9,956)

UMBC vs. Cooper Union Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Cooper Union (19.1%)

UMBC vs. Cooper Union Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at Cooper Union is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (76% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art earn on average $4,500 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $59,500)
  • Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students graduate with a $4,535 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($16,662 vs. $21,197)
  • Cooper Union graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($172 vs. $219)
  • More Cooper Union graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 67%)

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