The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is a private nonprofit college in New York, NY. Students pay about $13,269 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $83,847 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 1.8 years and adds $303,394 over a decade, ranking it #39 of 918 (top 5%) by value added.
What is The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art's acceptance rate?
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art has an acceptance rate of 20.7%, which makes it selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in New York, NY enrolling about 842 students, with a 80.7% graduation rate.
How much does The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art cost?
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art costs about $13,269 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $68,076. Published sticker cost of attendance is $64,190 per year.
How much do The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art student earns $83,847 per year. That is $37,147 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art pays back its roughly $68,076 cost in about 1.8 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $303,394 net of cost, a 5.46x return on the money invested. That ranks it #39 of 918 (top 5%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by a low net price and strong graduate earnings.
Top 10% value
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art graduation rate and student debt
80.7% of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $15,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 18% of one year of median graduate earnings.
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $13,269 | $20,299 | cheaper than 82% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $83,847 | $54,768 | 93th |
| Graduation rate | 80.7% | 57.0% | 89th |
| Acceptance rate | 20.7% | 75.7% | more selective than 94% |
| 10-yr value added | $303,394 | -$28,192 | 96th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 5.46x | 0.73x | 98th |
| Payback period | 1.8 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 98% |
How The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art compares with its nearest rivals
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ranks #39 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 1 of them costs less per year and 4 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is a private nonprofit college in New York, NY with 842 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $64,190 a year, but the average aided family pays $13,269, a 79% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $15,000, equal to 18% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art admits 20.7% of applicants.
- University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA; #38 of 918; 91.9% graduate) costs $19,471 more per year ($32,740 net), and its graduates earn $8,651 more ten years out ($92,498). University of Southern California adds $5,626 more ten-year value than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. University of Southern California pays back its cost in 3.3 years.
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI; #40 of 918; 93.2% graduate) costs about the same per year ($13,138 net), and its graduates earn about the same ten years out ($83,648). Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art adds $5,966 more ten-year value than University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor pays back its cost in 2 years.
- Northeastern University (Boston, MA; #37 of 918; 90.5% graduate) costs $17,646 more per year ($30,915 net), and its graduates earn $8,691 more ten years out ($92,538). Northeastern University adds $7,076 more ten-year value than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. Northeastern University pays back its cost in 3.2 years.
- Northwestern University (Evanston, IL; #41 of 918; 95.5% graduate) costs $15,898 more per year ($29,167 net), and its graduates earn $5,516 more ten years out ($89,363). Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art adds $8,432 more ten-year value than Northwestern University. Northwestern University pays back its cost in 3.1 years.
- Maine Maritime Academy (Castine, ME; #36 of 918; 59.9% graduate) costs $10,145 more per year ($23,414 net), and its graduates earn $6,117 more ten years out ($89,964). Maine Maritime Academy adds $8,590 more ten-year value than Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. Maine Maritime Academy pays back its cost in 2.8 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Maritime Academy | #36 | $23,414 | $89,964 | 59.9% | $311,984 |
| Northeastern University | #37 | $30,915 | $92,538 | 90.5% | $310,470 |
| University of Southern California | #38 | $32,740 | $92,498 | 91.9% | $309,020 |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | #39 | $13,269 | $83,847 | 80.7% | $303,394 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | #40 | $13,138 | $83,648 | 93.2% | $297,428 |
| Northwestern University | #41 | $29,167 | $89,363 | 95.5% | $294,962 |
Paying for Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art ranks #39 of 918 (top 5%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 5.46x the money invested over a decade.
Is The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $13,269 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 82% of them.
Do The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $83,847 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 93% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art compared to other colleges?
Its 20.7% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 94% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.