Head-to-head comparison
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice vs The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art: which has better ROI?
Option A New York, NY
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Net price / year
- $3,203
- Earnings, 10 years
- $56,195
- Payback
- 1.6 yrs
Option B New York, NY
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
- Net price / year
- $13,269
- Earnings, 10 years
- $83,847
- Payback
- 1.5 yrs
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $53,076 in 1.5 years versus 1.6 years at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, on median earnings of $83,847 vs $56,195 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,203 | $13,269 |
| Total net cost | $12,812 | $53,076 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $56,195 | $83,847 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $15,000 |
| Payback | 1.6 yrs | 1.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $143,888 | $656,664 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice or The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art?
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, at $3,203 a year after aid versus $13,269 — a gap of $10,066 a year, or $40,264 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice or The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art graduates earn more?
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art graduates report a median $83,847 ten years after entry, $27,652 more than the $56,195 at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice or The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art?
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $15,000 at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, a difference of $4,000. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
81% of students finish at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, against 56% at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.