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Princeton Duke Cornell Harvard Johns Hopkins Georgetown Stanford Brown Northwestern Dartmouth Yale Carnegie Mellon| Bard College | University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Bard College | Penn | ||
| Location | Annandale-On-Hudson, NY | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,922 | 28,711 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #180 | #23 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bard.edu | upenn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Bard College | Penn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,790 | $58,620 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,790 | $58,620 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,040 | $18,496 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,218 | $26,017 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $56,380 | $59,721 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 77% | 48% |
Admission |
Bard College | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,628 | 59,465 | ||
| Admitted | 3,466 | 3,489 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 52.3% | 5.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 11.6% | 69.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.95 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 30/32 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1290/1440 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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 5, 2026 |
Academics |
Bard College | Penn | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Bard College | Penn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 76% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $41,600 | $123,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 81% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,194 | $20,633 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $270 | $213 |
Diversity |
Bard College | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 26% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 33% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 63% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 1% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 4% | ||
| % International | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 11% | 3% |
Students |
Bard College | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 31% | 14% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 59% | 69% | ||
Campus |
Bard College | Penn | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (28,711 students vs. 2,922 students)
Bard College vs. Penn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Bard College or Penn?
- Bard College is 7.1% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $58,620.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.1% higher at Bard College than University of Pennsylvania ($62,790.00 vs. $58,620.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Penn ($25,218 vs. $26,017)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bard College are 2.5% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($18,040 vs. $18,496)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than University of Pennsylvania (77% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 5.9% larger than aid received Bard College ($59,721 vs. $56,380)
Bard College vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Bard College or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or Bard College .
- Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Penn (5.9%)
Bard College vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Bard College or Penn? 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 Penn and Bard College.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Bard College (96% vs. 76%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $82,000 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $41,600)
- University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $5,561 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($20,633 vs. $26,194)
- Penn graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($213 vs. $270)
- More Penn 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/