Elms College vs. Bard College

Should I go to College of Our Lady of the Elms or Bard College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Elms College 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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College of Our Lady of the Elms vs. Bard College comparison
College of Our Lady of the Elms Bard College College 3 College 4
College of Our Lady of the Elms Bard College
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Overview

Elms College Bard College
Location Chicopee, MA Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,332 2,922
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #374 #180
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elms.edu bard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elms College Bard College
Tuition (In State) $40,095 $62,790
Tuition (Out of State) $40,095 $62,790
Room & Board $15,150 $18,040
Avg Net Price $22,311 $25,218
Avg Grant Aid $31,015 $56,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 77%

Admission

Elms College Bard College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,442 6,628
Admitted 1,264 3,466
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 52.3%
Enrolled % 15.5% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/32
SAT Range 1150/1320 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

Academics

Elms College Bard College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Elms College Bard College
Graduation Rate 58% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,194
Median Loan Payment $258 $270

Diversity

Elms College Bard College
% Men 4% 6%
% Women 18% 10%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 63%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 0% 10%
% Unknown Race 24% 11%

Students

Elms College Bard College
% In-State 71% 31%
% Out-of-State 26% 59%

Campus

Elms College 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

  • Bard College is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 1,332 students)

Elms College vs. Bard College Cost Comparison

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

  • Bard College is 56.6% more expensive to attend than Elms College for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $40,095.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.6% higher at Bard College than College of Our Lady of the Elms ($62,790.00 vs. $40,095.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Bard College ($22,311 vs. $25,218)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Our Lady of the Elms are 19.1% lower than costs at Bard College ($15,150 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Bard College (100% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 81.8% larger than aid received College of Our Lady of the Elms ($56,380 vs. $31,015)

Elms College vs. Bard College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Elms College has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Bard College (52.3%)

Elms College vs. Bard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elms College 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 Elms College.

  • The graduation rate at Bard College is higher than College of Our Lady of the Elms (76% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from College of Our Lady of the Elms earn on average $4,700 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($46,300 vs. $41,600)
  • College of Our Lady of the Elms students graduate with a $1,194 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,194)
  • Elms College graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($258 vs. $270)
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Elms College students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 61%)

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