Barnard vs. Mason

Should I go to Barnard College or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Barnard or Mason 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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Barnard College vs. George Mason University comparison
Barnard College George Mason University College 3 College 4
Barnard College George Mason University
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Overview

 Barnard Mason
Location New York, NY Fairfax, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,442 39,049
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #35 #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website barnard.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Barnard Mason
Tuition (In State) $60,478 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $60,478 $35,377
Room & Board $19,364 $13,120
Avg Net Price $26,009 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $53,817 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 45% 74%

Admission

 Barnard Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,009 20,001
Admitted 1,056 18,001
Acceptance Rate 8.8% 90%
Enrolled % 66% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.85 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/34 25/31
SAT Range 1440/1550 1140/1350
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 4, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Barnard Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Barnard Mason
Graduation Rate 92% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,900 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,847 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $184 $204

Diversity

 Barnard Mason
% Men 3% 48%
% Women 97% 52%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 43%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 8% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 Barnard Mason
% In-State 28% 77%
% Out-of-State 60% 17%

Campus

 Barnard Mason
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

  • George Mason University is larger than than Barnard based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 3,442 students)

Barnard vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Barnard or Mason?

  • Barnard College is 517.4% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($60,478.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 71% higher at Barnard than George Mason University ($60,478.00 vs. $35,377.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Barnard ($18,479 vs. $26,009)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 47.6% lower than costs at Barnard College ($13,120 vs. $19,364)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Mason University than Barnard College (74% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Barnard College students is 400.2% larger than aid received George Mason University ($53,817 vs. $10,760)

Barnard vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Barnard College (1357) is 204 points higher than at Mason (1153)
  • Incoming Barnard students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Mason (26)
  • Accepted freshman Barnard students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Mason (3.68)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Barnard (8.8%)

Barnard vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Barnard or Mason? 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 Mason and Barnard.

  • The graduation rate at Barnard is higher than George Mason University (92% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Barnard College earn on average $5,000 more per year than Mason graduates after ten years. ($66,900 vs. $61,900)
  • Barnard College students graduate with a $1,903 lower median federal student loan debt than Mason graduates. ($17,847 vs. $19,750)
  • Barnard graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Mason graduates. ($184 vs. $204)
  • More Barnard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mason students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 73%)

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