Bard College vs. RPI

Should I go to Bard College or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bard College or RPI 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. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute comparison
Bard College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
Bard College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Overview

 Bard College RPI
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Troy, NY
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,922 7,024
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bard College RPI
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $60,360
Room & Board $18,040 $17,530
Avg Net Price $25,218 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 96%

Admission

 Bard College RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 16,283
Admitted 3,466 9,517
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 58.4%
Enrolled % 11.6% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA - 3.88
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/32 30/34
SAT Range 1290/1440 1330/1500
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 15, 2026

Academics

 Bard College RPI
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%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Bard College RPI
Graduation Rate 76% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $270 $284

Diversity

 Bard College RPI
% Men 6% 10%
% Women 10% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 59%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 1% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 7%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 11% 2%

Students

 Bard College RPI
% In-State 31% 36%
% Out-of-State 59% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (7,024 students vs. 2,922 students)

Bard College vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or RPI?

  • Bard College is 4% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4% higher at Bard College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($62,790.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than RPI ($25,218 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 2.9% lower than costs at Bard College ($17,530 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Bard College (96% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 28.2% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($56,380 vs. $43,994)

Bard College vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Bard College (52.3%)

Bard College vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Bard College (84% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $40,900 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $41,600)
  • Bard College students graduate with a $1,306 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($26,194 vs. $27,500)
  • Bard College graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($270 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 81%)

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