BU vs. Bard College

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

BU Bard College
Location Boston, MA Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Setting Large City Town Fringe
Enrollment 36,624 2,922
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #77 #180
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu bard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Bard College
Tuition (In State) $63,798 $62,790
Tuition (Out of State) $63,798 $62,790
Room & Board $18,110 $18,040
Avg Net Price $27,551 $25,218
Avg Grant Aid $55,080 $56,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 77%

Admission

BU Bard College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,495 6,628
Admitted 8,733 3,466
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 52.3%
Enrolled % 36% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34 30/32
SAT Range 1400/1520 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 4, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

BU Bard College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

BU Bard College
Graduation Rate 85% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,194
Median Loan Payment $279 $270

Diversity

BU Bard College
% Men 21% 6%
% Women 28% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 63%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 20% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 11%

Students

BU Bard College
% In-State 14% 31%
% Out-of-State 61% 59%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 2,922 students)

BU vs. Bard College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Bard College?

  • Boston University is 1.6% more expensive to attend than Bard College for in-state tuition ($63,798.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.6% higher at BU than Bard College ($63,798.00 vs. $62,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than BU ($25,218 vs. $27,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bard College are 0.4% lower than costs at Boston University ($18,040 vs. $18,110)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Boston University (77% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 2.4% larger than aid received Boston University ($56,380 vs. $55,080)

BU vs. Bard College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than BU (10.8%)

BU vs. Bard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU 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 BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is higher than Bard College (85% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $30,400 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $41,600)
  • Bard College students graduate with a $806 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($26,194 vs. $27,000)
  • Bard College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($270 vs. $279)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 81%)

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