Bard College vs. City College of New York

Deciding between Bard College and CUNY City College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Bard College
CUNY City College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
  • City College of New York New York, NY
  • Setting
  • Bard College Town Fringe
  • City College of New York Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Bard College 2,911
  • City College of New York 15,544
  • Type
  • Bard College Private 4 Year
  • City College of New York Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Bard College #184
  • City College of New York #313
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Bard College -
  • City College of New York -
  • Status
  • Bard College Non-profit
  • City College of New York Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Bard College
  • City College of New York

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Bard College $66,436
  • City College of New York $7,340
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Bard College $66,436
  • City College of New York $15,290
  • Room & Board
  • Bard College $18,852
  • City College of New York $18,840
  • Average Net Price
  • Bard College $29,320
  • City College of New York $4,664
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Bard College $55,235
  • City College of New York $9,763
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Bard College 74%
  • City College of New York 88%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Bard College 7,583
  • City College of New York 34,322
  • Admitted
  • Bard College 3,952
  • City College of New York 20,600
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Bard College 52.1%
  • City College of New York 60%
  • Enrolled
  • Bard College 12.8%
  • City College of New York 12.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Bard College 1360
  • City College of New York 1250
  • Typical ACT score
  • Bard College 30
  • City College of New York
  • Average High School GPA
  • Bard College -
  • City College of New York 3.2
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Bard College -
  • City College of New York B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Bard College Very High
  • City College of New York Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Bard College Low
  • City College of New York Low
  • ACT Range
  • Bard College 28/32
  • City College of New York
  • SAT Range
  • Bard College 1270/1450
  • City College of New York 1070/1430
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Bard College Test optional
  • City College of New York Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Bard College Jan 1, 2027
  • City College of New York Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Bard College 9:1
  • City College of New York 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Bard College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
    • Social Sciences (23%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
    • English and Literature (14%)
    • General Studies (7%)
  • City College of New York
    • Psychology (15%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Bard College 76%
  • City College of New York 40%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Bard College $41,600
  • City College of New York $49,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Bard College 81%
  • City College of New York 52%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Bard College $26,194
  • City College of New York $11,400
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Bard College $270
  • City College of New York $117

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Bard College 42%
  • City College of New York 47%
  • % Women
  • Bard College 58%
  • City College of New York 53%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Bard College Medium
  • City College of New York Very High
  • HBCU
  • Bard College No
  • City College of New York No
  • % White
  • Bard College 63%
  • City College of New York 15%
  • % Asian
  • Bard College 6%
  • City College of New York 25%
  • % Black
  • Bard College 8%
  • City College of New York 16%
  • % Hispanic
  • Bard College 1%
  • City College of New York 35%
  • % Native American
  • Bard College 1%
  • City College of New York 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Bard College 0%
  • City College of New York 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Bard College 0%
  • City College of New York 2%
  • % International
  • Bard College 10%
  • City College of New York 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Bard College 11%
  • City College of New York 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Bard College 30%
  • City College of New York 83%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Bard College 60%
  • City College of New York 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Bard College Yes
  • City College of New York Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Bard College No
  • City College of New York No
  • Meal Plan
  • Bard College Yes
  • City College of New York No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Bard College No
  • City College of New York No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Bard College No
  • City College of New York Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Bard College in Annandale-On-Hudson, NY with CUNY City College in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

CUNY City College is larger than Bard College based on total student enrollment (15,544 students vs. 2,911 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Bard College is located in Annandale-On-Hudson, NY (Town Fringe setting); CUNY City College is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
  • Bard College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. CUNY City College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Bard College 9:1; CUNY City College 15:1.

Bard College vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or City College of New York? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Bard College ($4,664 vs. $29,320).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 0.1% lower than at Bard College ($18,840 vs. $18,852).
  • Bard College is 805.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than City College of New York (about $59,096 more per year; $66,436.00 vs. $7,340.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 334.5% higher at Bard College than at CUNY City College (about $51,146 more per year; $66,436.00 vs. $15,290.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at CUNY City College than at Bard College (88% vs. 74%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 465.8% larger than aid received by CUNY City College students ($55,235 vs. $9,763).

Bard College vs. City College of New York Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bard College or City College of New York? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between City College of New York and Bard College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Bard College (1360) is 110 points higher than at City College of New York (1250).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bard College 1270/1450; CUNY City College 1070/1430.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bard College 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Bard College - Test optional; City College of New York - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Bard College Jan 1, 2027; City College of New York Feb 1, 2027.
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (60%) than Bard College (52.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.8% at Bard College vs. 12.3% at City College of New York.

Bard College vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Bard College and City College of New York? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Bard College's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than CUNY City College's (40%).
  • Graduates from CUNY City College earn a median of about $8,200 more per year than Bard College graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,800 vs. $41,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY City College graduates have a $14,794 lower median loan debt than Bard College graduates ($11,400 vs. $26,194).
  • Among borrowers, City College of New York graduates have an estimated $153 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Bard College graduates ($117 vs. $270).
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.