Bard College vs. Hamilton College

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

Bard College Hamilton College
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Clinton, NY
Setting Town Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,922 2,048
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #25
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu hamilton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bard College Hamilton College
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $65,090
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $65,090
Room & Board $18,040 $16,690
Avg Net Price $25,218 $26,021
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $54,359
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 51%

Admission

Bard College Hamilton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 9,643
Admitted 3,466 1,135
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 11.8%
Enrolled % 11.6% 40.7%
Avg High School GPA - 3.87
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 30/32 32/35
SAT Range 1290/1440 1410/1550
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 5, 2026

Academics

Bard College Hamilton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

Outcomes

Bard College Hamilton College
Graduation Rate 76% 89%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $79,000
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $15,760
Median Loan Payment $270 $162

Diversity

Bard College Hamilton College
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 10% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 63% 63%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 1% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 10% 6%
% Unknown Race 11% 8%

Students

Bard College Hamilton College
% In-State 31% 27%
% Out-of-State 59% 63%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bard College is larger than than Hamilton College based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 2,048 students)

Bard College vs. Hamilton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or Hamilton College?

  • Hamilton College is 3.7% more expensive to attend than Bard College for in-state tuition ($65,090.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.7% higher at Hamilton College than Bard College ($65,090.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Hamilton College ($25,218 vs. $26,021)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hamilton College are 8.1% lower than costs at Bard College ($16,690 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Hamilton College (77% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 3.7% larger than aid received Hamilton College ($56,380 vs. $54,359)

Bard College vs. Hamilton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Hamilton College (11.8%)

Bard College vs. Hamilton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bard College or Hamilton 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 Hamilton College and Bard College.

  • The graduation rate at Hamilton College is higher than Bard College (89% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Hamilton College earn on average $37,400 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($79,000 vs. $41,600)
  • Hamilton College students graduate with a $10,434 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($15,760 vs. $26,194)
  • Hamilton College graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($162 vs. $270)
  • More Hamilton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 81%)

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