Art Center College of Design vs Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Art Center College of Design and Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, two prestigious institutions renowned for their artistic and design programs, offer distinct educational experiences. Art Center, located in Pasadena, California, boasts a 28% acceptance rate, while Cooper Union, situated in New York City, has a highly selective 10% acceptance rate. Art Center's popular majors include Illustration, Graphic Design, and Transportation Design, while Cooper Union emphasizes Architecture, Fine Arts, and Engineering. Art Center's student body is predominantly male (63%), while Cooper Union's is more evenly distributed (53% male, 47% female). Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Art Center at 88% and Cooper Union at 91%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and career goals.
|
![]() Art Center College of Design |
![]() Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Pasadena, California | New York, New York |
Campus setting | City: Midsize | City: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 85.0% | 91.0% |
![]() |
No | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 75.6% | 14.7% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$50
Graduate:
$50
|
Undergraduate:
$75
Graduate:
$75
|
SAT range | N/A | N/A |
ACT range | N/A | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | ||
Students submitting ACT score | ||
Total number of applicants | 982 | 2,678 |
Total number of admissions given out | 742 | 393 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 269 | 210 |
Yield rate | 36.3% | 53.4% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $72,066 | $67,146 |
Average net price | $50,420 | $20,757 |
Tuition | $47,334 | $44,550 |
Room & board | ||
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
64.0%
Average amount $17,667 |
100.0%
Average amount $38,212 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
39.0%
Average amount $5,367 |
20.0%
Average amount $4,814 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $38,675 |
1.0%
Average amount $24,000 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
2,028
Men 41.7% Women 58.3% |
876
Men 53.2% Women 46.8% |
Graduate students |
291
Men 42.6% Women 57.4% |
60
Men 80.0% Women 20.0% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | N/A | 36.5% |
International students | 45.4% | 14.6% |
Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | N/A | 170 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | N/A | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | New York New Jersey California Florida Texas |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 8:1 | 9:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 75.9% | 83.4% |
Dropout rate | 9.8% | 11.8% |
Transferred out | 8.6% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Architectural Sciences and Technology (Bachelor's Degrees)
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees)
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degrees)
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
|
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Astronomy and Astrophysics (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
















































































