Bard College vs. Purchase College

Should I go to Bard College or SUNY at Purchase College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bard College or Purchase College 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. 

State University of New York at New Paltz Wesleyan University University at Albany- SUNY Bennington Pace University-New York Clark University Marist College SUNY College at Oneonta SUNY College at Oswego Union College Skidmore College Ithaca College
Bard College vs. SUNY at Purchase College comparison
Bard College SUNY at Purchase College College 3 College 4
Bard College SUNY at Purchase College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Bard College Purchase College
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Purchase, NY
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,922 3,229
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #297
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bard College Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $16,980
Room & Board $18,040 $15,400
Avg Net Price $25,218 $18,651
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $9,627
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 72%

Admission

 Bard College Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 7,221
Admitted 3,466 5,259
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 72.8%
Enrolled % 11.6% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA - 3.37
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/32 27/32
SAT Range 1290/1440 1178/1363
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, 2025 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Bard College Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 Bard College Purchase College
Graduation Rate 76% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $270 $232

Diversity

 Bard College Purchase College
% Men 6% 1%
% Women 10% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 55%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 1% 18%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 11% 7%

Students

 Bard College Purchase College
% In-State 31% 78%
% Out-of-State 59% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 2,922 students)

Bard College vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or Purchase College?

  • Bard College is 788.1% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 269.8% higher at Bard College than SUNY at Purchase College ($62,790.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Bard College ($18,651 vs. $25,218)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 17.1% lower than costs at Bard College ($15,400 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than SUNY at Purchase College (77% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 485.6% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($56,380 vs. $9,627)

Bard College vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Bard College (52.3%)

Bard College vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Bard College is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (76% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Bard College earn on average $1,400 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($41,600 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $3,694 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,194)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($232 vs. $270)
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 65%)

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