Caltech vs. Cooper Union

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

 Caltech Cooper Union
Location Pasadena, CA New York, NY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,401 958
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu cooper.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Caltech Cooper Union
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $44,550
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $44,550
Room & Board $18,606 $18,226
Avg Net Price $20,755 $26,194
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $39,305
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

 Caltech Cooper Union
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 1,500
Admitted 448 337
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 22.5%
Enrolled % 50% 54.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 35/36 31/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1390/1530
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 3, 2024 Jan 8, 2024

Academics

 Caltech Cooper Union
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (58%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (31%)
  • Architecture (11%)

Outcomes

 Caltech Cooper Union
Graduation Rate 87% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $64,000
Making Student Loan Payments - 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $16,662
Median Loan Payment $148 $172

Diversity

 Caltech Cooper Union
% Men 61% 51%
% Women 39% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 32%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 9%
% International 8% 16%
% Unknown Race 0% 12%

Students

 Caltech Cooper Union
% In-State 29% 42%
% Out-of-State 58% 48%

Campus

 Caltech 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

  • California Institute of Technology is larger than than Cooper Union based on total student enrollment (2,401 students vs. 958 students)

Caltech vs. Cooper Union Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Cooper Union?

  • California Institute of Technology is 31.3% more expensive to attend than Cooper Union for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.3% higher at Caltech than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($58,479.00 vs. $44,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Cooper Union ($20,755 vs. $26,194)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art are 2.1% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($18,226 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art than California Institute of Technology (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 50.6% larger than aid received Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ($59,192 vs. $39,305)

Caltech vs. Cooper Union Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Cooper Union (3.75)
  • Cooper Union has a higher acceptance rate (22.5%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Cooper Union Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech 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 Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $21,800 more per year than Cooper Union graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $64,000)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $2,312 lower median federal student loan debt than Cooper Union graduates. ($14,350 vs. $16,662)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Cooper Union graduates. ($148 vs. $172)

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