Bard College vs. Fordham

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

Bard College Fordham
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Bronx, NY
Setting Town Fringe Large City
Enrollment 2,922 16,153
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #126
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu fordham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bard College Fordham
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $60,335
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $60,335
Room & Board $18,040 $23,075
Avg Net Price $25,218 $45,368
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $33,278
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 94%

Admission

Bard College Fordham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 43,663
Admitted 3,466 24,573
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 56.3%
Enrolled % 11.6% 9.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.67
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/32 30/33
SAT Range 1290/1440 1330/1490
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 1, 2026

Academics

Bard College Fordham
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Bard College Fordham
Graduation Rate 76% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $64,200
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $270 $268

Diversity

Bard College Fordham
% Men 6% 13%
% Women 10% 23%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 59%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 1% 14%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 11% 2%

Students

Bard College Fordham
% In-State 31% 37%
% Out-of-State 59% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fordham University is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (16,153 students vs. 2,922 students)

Bard College vs. Fordham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or Fordham?

  • Bard College is 4.1% more expensive to attend than Fordham for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $60,335.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at Bard College than Fordham University ($62,790.00 vs. $60,335.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Fordham ($25,218 vs. $45,368)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bard College are 27.9% lower than costs at Fordham University ($18,040 vs. $23,075)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fordham University than Bard College (94% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 69.4% larger than aid received Fordham University ($56,380 vs. $33,278)

Bard College vs. Fordham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Fordham has a higher acceptance rate (56.3%) than Bard College (52.3%)

Bard College vs. Fordham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Fordham is higher than Bard College (78% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Fordham University earn on average $22,600 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($64,200 vs. $41,600)
  • Fordham University students graduate with a $194 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,194)
  • Fordham graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($268 vs. $270)
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fordham students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 77%)

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