Bard College vs. Barnard

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

Bard College Barnard
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY New York, NY
Setting Town Fringe Large City
Enrollment 2,922 3,353
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #34
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu barnard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bard College Barnard
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $64,078
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $64,078
Room & Board $18,040 $20,582
Avg Net Price $25,218 $27,738
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $56,190
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 48%

Admission

Bard College Barnard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 11,803
Admitted 3,466 940
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 8%
Enrolled % 11.6% 75.6%
Avg High School GPA - 3.85
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/32 32/34
SAT Range 1290/1440 1453/1550
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 1, 2026 Jan 4, 2026

Academics

Bard College Barnard
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Bard College Barnard
Graduation Rate 76% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $66,900
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $17,847
Median Loan Payment $270 $184

Diversity

Bard College Barnard
% Men 6% 1%
% Women 10% 3%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 53%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 1% 12%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 6%
% International 10% 8%
% Unknown Race 11% 0%

Students

Bard College Barnard
% In-State 31% 28%
% Out-of-State 59% 60%

Campus

Bard College Barnard
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

  • Barnard College is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (3,353 students vs. 2,922 students)

Bard College vs. Barnard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or Barnard?

  • Barnard College is 2.1% more expensive to attend than Bard College for in-state tuition ($64,078.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.1% higher at Barnard than Bard College ($64,078.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Barnard ($25,218 vs. $27,738)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bard College are 14.1% lower than costs at Barnard College ($18,040 vs. $20,582)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Barnard College (77% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 0.3% larger than aid received Barnard College ($56,380 vs. $56,190)

Bard College vs. Barnard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Barnard (8%)

Bard College vs. Barnard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bard College 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 Bard College.

  • The graduation rate at Barnard is higher than Bard College (92% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Barnard College earn on average $25,300 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($66,900 vs. $41,600)
  • Barnard College students graduate with a $8,347 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($17,847 vs. $26,194)
  • Barnard graduates are paying $86 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($184 vs. $270)
  • More Barnard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 81%)

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