Bard College vs. Reed

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

 Bard College Reed
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Portland, OR
Setting Town Fringe Large City
Enrollment 2,922 1,458
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #80
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu reed.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bard College Reed
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $66,710
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $66,710
Room & Board $18,040 $16,820
Avg Net Price $25,218 $36,993
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $46,317
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 55%

Admission

 Bard College Reed
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 10,045
Admitted 3,466 2,728
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 27.2%
Enrolled % 11.6% 12.9%
Avg High School GPA - 4.0
Typical High School Grades - A/A+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 30/32 29/34
SAT Range 1290/1440 1300/1510
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 Reed
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 (20%)
  • Foreign Languages (15%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)

Outcomes

 Bard College Reed
Graduation Rate 76% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $47,200
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $16,000
Median Loan Payment $270 $165

Diversity

 Bard College Reed
% Men 6% 1%
% Women 10% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 63% 60%
% Black 8% 2%
% Hispanic 1% 11%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 8%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 11% 5%

Students

 Bard College Reed
% In-State 31% 10%
% Out-of-State 59% 83%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bard College is larger than than Reed based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 1,458 students)

Bard College vs. Reed Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or Reed?

  • Reed College is 6.2% more expensive to attend than Bard College for in-state tuition ($66,710.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.2% higher at Reed than Bard College ($66,710.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Reed ($25,218 vs. $36,993)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Reed College are 7.3% lower than costs at Bard College ($16,820 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Reed College (77% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 21.7% larger than aid received Reed College ($56,380 vs. $46,317)

Bard College vs. Reed Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Reed (27.2%)

Bard College vs. Reed Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Reed is higher than Bard College (80% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Reed College earn on average $5,600 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($47,200 vs. $41,600)
  • Reed College students graduate with a $10,194 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($16,000 vs. $26,194)
  • Reed graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($165 vs. $270)
  • More Reed graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 81%)

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