Dartmouth vs. Bucknell

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

Lafayette College Lehigh Villanova Brown University of Richmond Williams Cornell Amherst Yale Colgate Middlebury Tufts
Dartmouth College vs. Bucknell University comparison
Dartmouth College Bucknell University College 3 College 4
Dartmouth College Bucknell University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Dartmouth Bucknell
Location Hanover, NH Lewisburg, PA
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 6,744 3,787
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #12 #71
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dartmouth.edu bucknell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Dartmouth Bucknell
Tuition (In State) $60,687 $61,408
Tuition (Out of State) $60,687 $61,408
Room & Board $18,099 $15,358
Avg Net Price $19,208 $39,965
Avg Grant Aid $62,293 $37,775
% Receiving Grant Aid 45% 56%

Admission

Dartmouth Bucknell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,336 11,707
Admitted 1,808 3,811
Acceptance Rate 6.4% 32.6%
Enrolled % 62.2% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 33/35 30/33
SAT Range 1500/1580 1310/1470
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 3, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Dartmouth Bucknell
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • History (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Dartmouth Bucknell
Graduation Rate 95% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $104,000 $76,300
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,461 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $139 $279

Diversity

Dartmouth Bucknell
% Men 50% 48%
% Women 50% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 77%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

Dartmouth Bucknell
% In-State 2% 21%
% Out-of-State 79% 74%

Campus

Dartmouth Bucknell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Dartmouth College is larger than than Bucknell based on total student enrollment (6,744 students vs. 3,787 students)

Dartmouth vs. Bucknell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dartmouth or Bucknell?

  • Bucknell University is 1.2% more expensive to attend than Dartmouth for in-state tuition ($61,408.00 vs. $60,687.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.2% higher at Bucknell than Dartmouth College ($61,408.00 vs. $60,687.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dartmouth College than Bucknell ($19,208 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bucknell University are 17.8% lower than costs at Dartmouth College ($15,358 vs. $18,099)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than Dartmouth College (56% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dartmouth College students is 64.9% larger than aid received Bucknell University ($62,293 vs. $37,775)

Dartmouth vs. Bucknell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Dartmouth College (1437) is 122 points higher than at Bucknell (1315)
  • Incoming Dartmouth students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Bucknell (30)
  • Accepted freshman Dartmouth students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Bucknell (3.62)
  • Bucknell has a higher acceptance rate (32.6%) than Dartmouth (6.4%)

Dartmouth vs. Bucknell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Dartmouth or Bucknell? 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 Bucknell and Dartmouth.

  • The graduation rate at Dartmouth is higher than Bucknell University (95% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Dartmouth College earn on average $27,700 more per year than Bucknell graduates after ten years. ($104,000 vs. $76,300)
  • Dartmouth College students graduate with a $13,539 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($13,461 vs. $27,000)
  • Dartmouth graduates are paying $140 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($139 vs. $279)
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dartmouth students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

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