Regional college
#19 Best small colleges in AmericaThe Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $13,269 a year
Median debt at graduation: $15,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best small colleges in America#19 of 906
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in America#6 of 239
- Best value colleges in America#17 of 674
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#22 of 681
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#21 of 598
- Best colleges in America#70 of 1,829
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- Best test-optional colleges in America#63 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#59 of 1,187
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#40 of 690
- Best colleges for engineering in America#49 of 749
- Best colleges in the New York area#7 of 103
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#50 of 704
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#53 of 684
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#58 of 704
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#59 of 682
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#68 of 690
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#181 of 1,829
- Most selective colleges in America#72 of 683
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#21 of 197
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#153 of 693
In New York
- Best small colleges in New York#2 of 55
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in New York#1 of 20
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in New York#5 of 77
- Best value colleges in New York#5 of 75
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in New York#5 of 75
- Best test-optional colleges in New York#9 of 125
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- Best colleges in New York#10 of 135
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in New York#6 of 80
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in New York#6 of 79
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in New York#6 of 67
- Best colleges for art and design in New York#8 of 85
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in New York#8 of 79
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in New York#9 of 80
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in New York#9 of 75
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in New York#10 of 79
- Most selective colleges in New York#11 of 79
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in New York#19 of 135
- Best colleges for engineering in New York#6 of 41
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in New York#13 of 80
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.81%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.92%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,410 · ACT 31
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.8 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$35,566
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $64,190 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 901 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 47% · Women 53% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 19% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 43% |
| Total students | 983 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $13,269 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $64,190 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $15,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 81% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 75% |
| First-year retention | 92% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $83,847 |
| Admission rate | 21% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $75 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 28% |
| Average SAT | 1410 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 653–748 |
| SAT math | 642–753 |
| ACT composite | 28–34 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 2% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Electrical engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Architecture, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Engineering (general), Mechanical engineering.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Engineering | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Architecture |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 1% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $19,090 |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 27%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $938,489Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 19% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | LaGuardia Airport (LGA)About 7 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 8,483,8442020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Jersey CityAbout 4 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 34°F1991–2020 normal, from New York Cntrl Pk Twr, NY, about 4 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 78°F1991–2020 normal, from New York Cntrl Pk Twr, NY, about 4 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 5% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $13,269 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art?
- The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art admitted 21% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art’s graduates do?
- 81% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $83,847; the median federal debt at graduation is $15,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 190372
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (diverse fields)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education; National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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