Bard College vs. Vassar

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

Bard College Vassar
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Poughkeepsie, NY
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,922 2,456
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #46
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu vassar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bard College Vassar
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $66,870
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $66,870
Room & Board $18,040 $17,415
Avg Net Price $25,218 $29,733
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $53,840
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 58%

Admission

Bard College Vassar
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 12,145
Admitted 3,466 2,153
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 17.7%
Enrolled % 11.6% 32%
Avg High School GPA - 3.86
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 30/32 33/35
SAT Range 1290/1440 1435/1550
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 1, 2026

Academics

Bard College Vassar
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

Bard College Vassar
Graduation Rate 76% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $15,780
Median Loan Payment $270 $163

Diversity

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

Students

Bard College Vassar
% In-State 31% 28%
% Out-of-State 59% 64%

Campus

Bard College Vassar
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

  • Bard College is larger than than Vassar based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 2,456 students)

Bard College vs. Vassar Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or Vassar?

  • Vassar College is 6.5% more expensive to attend than Bard College for in-state tuition ($66,870.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at Vassar than Bard College ($66,870.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Vassar ($25,218 vs. $29,733)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vassar College are 3.6% lower than costs at Bard College ($17,415 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Vassar College (77% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 4.7% larger than aid received Vassar College ($56,380 vs. $53,840)

Bard College vs. Vassar Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Vassar (17.7%)

Bard College vs. Vassar Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Bard College (91% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Vassar College earn on average $16,800 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $41,600)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $10,414 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($15,780 vs. $26,194)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $107 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($163 vs. $270)
  • More Vassar 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/