Bard College vs. Penn State Brandywine

Should I go to Bard College or Penn State Brandywine? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bard College or Penn State Brandywine 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. Penn State Brandywine comparison
Bard College Penn State Brandywine College 3 College 4
Bard College Penn State Brandywine
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Overview

Bard College Penn State Brandywine
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Media, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,922 1,223
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #766
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bard College Penn State Brandywine
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $24,562
Room & Board $18,040 $13,820
Avg Net Price $25,218 $21,739
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $9,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 69%

Admission

Bard College Penn State Brandywine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 2,461
Admitted 3,466 2,346
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 95.3%
Enrolled % 11.6% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/32 18/29
SAT Range 1290/1440 1110/1340
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 Brandywine
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 (28%)
  • Work and Family Studies (28%)
  • Communication (23%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

Bard College Penn State Brandywine
Graduation Rate 76% 37%
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 Brandywine
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 10% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 63% 63%
% Black 8% 15%
% Hispanic 1% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 11% 2%

Students

Bard College Penn State Brandywine
% In-State 31% 74%
% Out-of-State 59% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bard College is larger than than Penn State Brandywine based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 1,223 students)

Bard College vs. Penn State Brandywine Cost Comparison

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

  • Bard College is 329.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Brandywine for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 155.6% higher at Bard College than Penn State Brandywine ($62,790.00 vs. $24,562.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Brandywine than Bard College ($21,739 vs. $25,218)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Brandywine are 30.5% lower than costs at Bard College ($13,820 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Penn State Brandywine (77% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 501.1% larger than aid received Penn State Brandywine ($56,380 vs. $9,380)

Bard College vs. Penn State Brandywine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Bard College (52.3%)

Bard College vs. Penn State Brandywine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Bard College is higher than Penn State Brandywine (76% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine graduates. ($26,194 vs. $26,818)
  • Bard College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Brandywine graduates. ($270 vs. $277)
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Brandywine 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/