Babson vs. Bard College

Should I go to Babson College or Bard College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Babson or Bard College 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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Babson College vs. Bard College comparison
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Overview

 Babson Bard College
Location Wellesley, MA Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 3,943 2,922
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #117 #180
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website babson.edu bard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Babson Bard College
Tuition (In State) $56,032 $62,790
Tuition (Out of State) $56,032 $62,790
Room & Board $20,786 $18,040
Avg Net Price $30,220 $25,218
Avg Grant Aid $47,028 $56,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 36% 77%

Admission

 Babson Bard College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,995 6,628
Admitted 1,578 3,466
Acceptance Rate 19.7% 52.3%
Enrolled % 39.7% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/33 30/32
SAT Range 1380/1500 1290/1440
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 3, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 Babson Bard College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (100%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Babson Bard College
Graduation Rate 90% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,500 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,194
Median Loan Payment $268 $270

Diversity

 Babson Bard College
% Men 18% 6%
% Women 13% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 38% 63%
% Black 5% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 26% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 11%

Students

 Babson Bard College
% In-State 14% 31%
% Out-of-State 59% 59%

Campus

 Babson Bard College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Babson College is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (3,943 students vs. 2,922 students)

Babson vs. Bard College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Babson or Bard College?

  • Bard College is 12.1% more expensive to attend than Babson for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $56,032.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.1% higher at Bard College than Babson College ($62,790.00 vs. $56,032.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Babson ($25,218 vs. $30,220)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bard College are 15.2% lower than costs at Babson College ($18,040 vs. $20,786)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Babson College (77% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 19.9% larger than aid received Babson College ($56,380 vs. $47,028)

Babson vs. Bard College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Babson (19.7%)

Babson vs. Bard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Babson or Bard College? 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 Bard College and Babson.

  • The graduation rate at Babson is higher than Bard College (90% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Babson College earn on average $66,900 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($108,500 vs. $41,600)
  • Babson College students graduate with a $194 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,194)
  • Babson graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($268 vs. $270)
  • More Babson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 81%)

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