Bard College vs. SUNY Stony Brook

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

Bard College SUNY Stony Brook
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Stony Brook, NY
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,922 25,865
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #141
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu stonybrook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bard College SUNY Stony Brook
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $26,860
Room & Board $18,040 $17,662
Avg Net Price $25,218 $18,601
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $10,266
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 82%

Admission

Bard College SUNY Stony Brook
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 50,341
Admitted 3,466 24,670
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 49%
Enrolled % 11.6% 14.5%
Avg High School GPA - 3.94
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/32 28/33
SAT Range 1290/1440 1320/1490
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 SUNY Stony Brook
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

Bard College SUNY Stony Brook
Graduation Rate 76% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $59,300
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $270 $196

Diversity

Bard College SUNY Stony Brook
% Men 6% 14%
% Women 10% 18%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 36%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 1% 11%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 10% 13%
% Unknown Race 11% 7%

Students

Bard College SUNY Stony Brook
% In-State 31% 83%
% Out-of-State 59% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Stony Brook University is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (25,865 students vs. 2,922 students)

Bard College vs. SUNY Stony Brook Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or SUNY Stony Brook?

  • Bard College is 788.1% more expensive to attend than SUNY Stony Brook for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 133.8% higher at Bard College than Stony Brook University ($62,790.00 vs. $26,860.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stony Brook University than Bard College ($18,601 vs. $25,218)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Stony Brook University are 2.1% lower than costs at Bard College ($17,662 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stony Brook University than Bard College (82% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 449.2% larger than aid received Stony Brook University ($56,380 vs. $10,266)

Bard College vs. SUNY Stony Brook Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than SUNY Stony Brook (49%)

Bard College vs. SUNY Stony Brook Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bard College or SUNY Stony Brook? 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 SUNY Stony Brook and Bard College.

  • The graduation rate at Bard College is higher than Stony Brook University (76% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Stony Brook University earn on average $17,700 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($59,300 vs. $41,600)
  • Stony Brook University students graduate with a $7,194 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($19,000 vs. $26,194)
  • SUNY Stony Brook graduates are paying $74 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($196 vs. $270)
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Stony Brook students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 73%)

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