Bard College vs. SUNY Poly

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

Bard College SUNY Poly
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Utica, NY
Setting Town Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,922 2,704
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #307
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu sunyit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bard College SUNY Poly
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $18,720
Room & Board $18,040 $14,750
Avg Net Price $25,218 $14,646
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $8,137
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 90%

Admission

Bard College SUNY Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 4,936
Admitted 3,466 3,872
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 78.4%
Enrolled % 11.6% 10%
Avg High School GPA - 3.7
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/32 24/27
SAT Range 1290/1440 1150/1330
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Bard College SUNY Poly
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 (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

Bard College SUNY Poly
Graduation Rate 76% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $53,200
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $16,585
Median Loan Payment $270 $171

Diversity

Bard College SUNY Poly
% Men 6% 11%
% Women 10% 19%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 79%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 1% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 11% 0%

Students

Bard College SUNY Poly
% In-State 31% 95%
% Out-of-State 59% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bard College is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 2,704 students)

Bard College vs. SUNY Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or SUNY Poly?

  • Bard College is 788.1% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 235.4% higher at Bard College than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($62,790.00 vs. $18,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Bard College ($14,646 vs. $25,218)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 22.3% lower than costs at Bard College ($14,750 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Bard College (90% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 592.9% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($56,380 vs. $8,137)

Bard College vs. SUNY Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Bard College (52.3%)

Bard College vs. SUNY Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bard College or SUNY Poly? 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 Poly and Bard College.

  • The graduation rate at Bard College is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (76% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from SUNY Polytechnic Institute earn on average $11,600 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($53,200 vs. $41,600)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $9,609 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($16,585 vs. $26,194)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($171 vs. $270)
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 63%)

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