BC vs. Bard College

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

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Overview

BC Bard College
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Setting Small City Town Fringe
Enrollment 15,280 2,922
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #50 #180
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu bard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC Bard College
Tuition (In State) $66,410 $62,790
Tuition (Out of State) $66,410 $62,790
Room & Board $18,475 $18,040
Avg Net Price $32,590 $25,218
Avg Grant Aid $51,099 $56,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 77%

Admission

BC Bard College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 36,069 6,628
Admitted 5,645 3,466
Acceptance Rate 15.7% 52.3%
Enrolled % 41.4% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/34 30/32
SAT Range 1430/1540 1290/1440
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

BC Bard College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

BC Bard College
Graduation Rate 91% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $26,194
Median Loan Payment $196 $270

Diversity

BC Bard College
% Men 14% 6%
% Women 20% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 63%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 6% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 11%

Students

BC Bard College
% In-State 21% 31%
% Out-of-State 71% 59%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston College is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (15,280 students vs. 2,922 students)

BC vs. Bard College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Bard College?

  • Boston College is 5.8% more expensive to attend than Bard College for in-state tuition ($66,410.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.8% higher at BC than Bard College ($66,410.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than BC ($25,218 vs. $32,590)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bard College are 2.4% lower than costs at Boston College ($18,040 vs. $18,475)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Boston College (77% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 10.3% larger than aid received Boston College ($56,380 vs. $51,099)

BC vs. Bard College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than BC (15.7%)

BC vs. Bard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Bard College (91% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $49,300 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $41,600)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $7,194 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($19,000 vs. $26,194)
  • BC graduates are paying $74 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($196 vs. $270)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 81%)

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