California College of the Arts vs Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

California College of the Arts (CCA) and Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art are two prestigious institutions offering unique educational experiences in the arts. CCA, located in the vibrant city of San Francisco, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on interdisciplinary studies. In contrast, Cooper Union, situated in the heart of New York City, emphasizes a rigorous fine arts curriculum and a commitment to social justice. With acceptance rates of 58% and 10%, respectively, both institutions are highly selective, attracting talented students from around the world. While CCA offers a wider range of undergraduate and graduate programs, Cooper Union primarily focuses on undergraduate education. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further distinctions between these esteemed art schools, including popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates, to determine which institution best aligns with your academic aspirations and career goals.
California College of the Arts logo

California College of the Arts

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art logo

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Overview

Location San Francisco, California New York, New York
Campus setting City: Large 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 82.0% 91.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 77.6% 14.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
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 2,847 2,678
Total number of admissions given out 2,210 393
Admitted students who chose to enroll 209 210
Yield rate 9.5% 53.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $73,634 $67,146
Average net price $40,231 $20,757
Tuition $51,792 $44,550
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $13,467

Meal plan: $5,650
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

84.0%
Average amount $28,928
100.0%
Average amount $38,212
Students receiving federal student loan 23.0%
Average amount $5,627
20.0%
Average amount $4,814
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $27,943
1.0%
Average amount $24,000

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,249
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
876
Men 53.2% Women 46.8%
Graduate students 381
Men 29.9% Women 70.1%
60
Men 80.0% Women 20.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 36.5%
International students 40.3% 14.6%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 761 170
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A New York New Jersey California Florida Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • Architecture
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Architecture
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 65.4% 83.4%
Dropout rate 34.2% 11.8%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,106
  • Year 2: $77,536
  • Year 3: $105,977
Architecture (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,344
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $66,934
Architecture (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,396
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $61,388
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,949
  • Year 2: $39,860
  • Year 3: $49,787
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,472
  • Year 2: $34,467
  • Year 3: $38,025
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,206
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $37,442
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $16,698
  • Year 2: $30,409
  • Year 3: $23,743
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,560
  • Year 2: $15,552
  • Year 3: $19,229
Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,520
  • Year 2: $86,129
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,170
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,818
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $19,405
Astronomy and Astrophysics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,379
  • Year 2: $43,798
  • Year 3: N/A

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