AU vs. Barnard

Should I go to American University or Barnard College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Barnard is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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American University vs. Barnard College comparison
American University Barnard College College 3 College 4
American University Barnard College
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Overview

 AU Barnard
Location Washington, DC New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,885 3,442
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #35
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu barnard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU Barnard
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $60,478
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $60,478
Room & Board $15,706 $19,364
Avg Net Price $41,369 $26,009
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $53,817
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 45%

Admission

 AU Barnard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 12,009
Admitted 7,926 1,056
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 8.8%
Enrolled % 22.2% 66%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/32 32/34
SAT Range 1290/1430 1440/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

 AU Barnard
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

 AU Barnard
Graduation Rate 77% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $66,900
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $17,847
Median Loan Payment $250 $184

Diversity

 AU Barnard
% Men 37% 3%
% Women 63% 97%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 53%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 7% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 AU Barnard
% In-State 2% 28%
% Out-of-State 94% 60%

Campus

 AU Barnard
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Barnard based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 3,442 students)

AU vs. Barnard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Barnard?

  • Barnard College is 14% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($60,478.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14% higher at Barnard than American University ($60,478.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Barnard College than AU ($26,009 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 23.3% lower than costs at Barnard College ($15,706 vs. $19,364)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Barnard College (66% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Barnard College students is 98.3% larger than aid received American University ($53,817 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. Barnard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or Barnard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Barnard or AU .

  • The average SAT score at Barnard College (1357) is 105 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming Barnard students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman Barnard students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at AU (3.7)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than Barnard (8.8%)

AU vs. Barnard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Barnard? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Barnard and AU.

  • The graduation rate at Barnard is higher than American University (92% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Barnard College earn on average $2,100 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($66,900 vs. $64,800)
  • Barnard College students graduate with a $6,403 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($17,847 vs. $24,250)
  • Barnard graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($184 vs. $250)
  • More Barnard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/