Head-to-head comparison
CUNY Queens College vs The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art: which has better ROI?
Option A Queens, NY
CUNY Queens College
- Net price / year
- $4,195
- Earnings, 10 years
- $62,763
- Payback
- 1.2 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
CUNY Queens College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $16,780 in 1.2 years versus 1.5 years at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, on median earnings of $62,763 vs $83,847 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | CUNY Queens College | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,195 | $13,269 |
| Total net cost | $16,780 | $53,076 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $62,763 | $83,847 |
| Median debt | $10,298 | $15,000 |
| Payback | 1.2 yrs | 1.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $271,280 | $656,664 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, CUNY Queens College or The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art?
CUNY Queens College, at $4,195 a year after aid versus $13,269 — a gap of $9,074 a year, or $36,296 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 Queens College 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, $21,084 more than the $62,763 at CUNY Queens College. 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 Queens College or The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art?
CUNY Queens College: its completers carry a median $10,298 in federal loans versus $15,000 at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, a difference of $4,702. 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 53% at CUNY Queens College. 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.