Bard College vs. Penn State

Should I go to Bard College or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bard College or Penn State 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel
Bard College vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Bard College Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Bard College Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Bard College Penn State
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY University Park, PA
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,922 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bard College Penn State
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $39,626
Room & Board $18,040 $13,030
Avg Net Price $25,218 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 36%

Admission

 Bard College Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 85,956
Admitted 3,466 46,605
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 54.2%
Enrolled % 11.6% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/32 27/32
SAT Range 1290/1440 1220/1400
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

Academics

 Bard College Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Bard College Penn State
Graduation Rate 76% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $270 $277

Diversity

 Bard College Penn State
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 10% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 63% 69%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 1% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 11% 2%

Students

 Bard College Penn State
% In-State 31% 51%
% Out-of-State 59% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 2,922 students)

Bard College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or Penn State?

  • Bard College is 219.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.5% higher at Bard College than Penn State Main Campus ($62,790.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Penn State ($25,218 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 38.4% lower than costs at Bard College ($13,030 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Penn State Main Campus (77% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 387% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($56,380 vs. $11,577)

Bard College vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Bard College (52.3%)

Bard College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bard College or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Bard College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Bard College (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $13,700 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $41,600)
  • Bard College students graduate with a $624 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($26,194 vs. $26,818)
  • Bard College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($270 vs. $277)
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

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