Bard College vs. Whitman College

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

Lewis and Clark Reed Gonzaga UW-Seattle Oxy Whitworth University St Olaf Oberlin Wesleyan University Macalester College Bennington SCU
Bard College vs. Whitman College comparison
Bard College Whitman College College 3 College 4
Bard College Whitman College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Bard College Whitman College
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Walla Walla, WA
Setting Town Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 2,922 1,544
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #94
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu whitman.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bard College Whitman College
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $61,070
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $61,070
Room & Board $18,040 $14,640
Avg Net Price $25,218 $41,601
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $33,441
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 92%

Admission

Bard College Whitman College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 6,185
Admitted 3,466 3,092
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 50%
Enrolled % 11.6% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.68
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/32 27/33
SAT Range 1290/1440 1270/1480
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 Whitman College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
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%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Bard College Whitman College
Graduation Rate 76% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 93%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $17,500
Median Loan Payment $270 $180

Diversity

Bard College Whitman College
% Men 6% 1%
% Women 10% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 72%
% Black 8% 1%
% Hispanic 1% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 7%
% International 10% 5%
% Unknown Race 11% 2%

Students

Bard College Whitman College
% In-State 31% 31%
% Out-of-State 59% 53%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bard College is larger than than Whitman College based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 1,544 students)

Bard College vs. Whitman College Cost Comparison

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

  • Bard College is 2.8% more expensive to attend than Whitman College for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $61,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.8% higher at Bard College than Whitman College ($62,790.00 vs. $61,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Whitman College ($25,218 vs. $41,601)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whitman College are 23.2% lower than costs at Bard College ($14,640 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Whitman College than Bard College (92% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 68.6% larger than aid received Whitman College ($56,380 vs. $33,441)

Bard College vs. Whitman College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Whitman College (50%)

Bard College vs. Whitman College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bard College or Whitman 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 Whitman College and Bard College.

  • The graduation rate at Whitman College is higher than Bard College (86% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Whitman College earn on average $15,300 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $41,600)
  • Whitman College students graduate with a $8,694 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($17,500 vs. $26,194)
  • Whitman College graduates are paying $90 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($180 vs. $270)
  • More Whitman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (93% vs. 81%)

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