Kalamazoo College vs. Bennington

Deciding between Kalamazoo College and Bennington College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Kalamazoo College
Bennington College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI
  • Bennington Bennington, VT
  • Setting
  • Kalamazoo College Small City
  • Bennington Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • Kalamazoo College 1,166
  • Bennington 927
  • Type
  • Kalamazoo College Private 4 Year
  • Bennington Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Kalamazoo College #231
  • Bennington
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Kalamazoo College -
  • Bennington -
  • Status
  • Kalamazoo College Non-profit
  • Bennington Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Kalamazoo College
  • Bennington
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Kalamazoo College $61,050
  • Bennington $66,262
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Kalamazoo College $61,050
  • Bennington $66,262
  • Room & Board
  • Kalamazoo College $12,549
  • Bennington $19,108
  • Average Net Price
  • Kalamazoo College $26,956
  • Bennington $34,220
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Kalamazoo College $47,252
  • Bennington $53,064
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Kalamazoo College 99%
  • Bennington 100%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Kalamazoo College 3,553
  • Bennington 2,996
  • Admitted
  • Kalamazoo College 2,676
  • Bennington 1,334
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Kalamazoo College 75.3%
  • Bennington 44.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Kalamazoo College 11.7%
  • Bennington 11.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Kalamazoo College 1280
  • Bennington 1350
  • Typical ACT score
  • Kalamazoo College 24
  • Bennington 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • Kalamazoo College 3.73
  • Bennington 3.51
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Kalamazoo College A-
  • Bennington A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Kalamazoo College Difficult
  • Bennington Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Kalamazoo College
  • Bennington Low
  • ACT Range
  • Kalamazoo College 20/29
  • Bennington 30/32
  • SAT Range
  • Kalamazoo College 1170/1380
  • Bennington 1291/1403
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Kalamazoo College Test optional
  • Bennington Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Kalamazoo College Jan 15, 2027
  • Bennington Jan 15, 2027
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Kalamazoo College 10:1
  • Bennington 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Kalamazoo College
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Physical Sciences (11%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
  • Bennington
    • Visual and Performing Arts (39%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • English and Literature (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Kalamazoo College 80%
  • Bennington 67%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Kalamazoo College $54,400
  • Bennington $31,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Kalamazoo College 81%
  • Bennington 77%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Kalamazoo College $26,450
  • Bennington $26,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Kalamazoo College $273
  • Bennington $268
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Kalamazoo College 45%
  • Bennington 27%
  • % Women
  • Kalamazoo College 55%
  • Bennington 73%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Kalamazoo College High
  • Bennington Medium
  • HBCU
  • Kalamazoo College No
  • Bennington No
  • % White
  • Kalamazoo College 60%
  • Bennington 65%
  • % Asian
  • Kalamazoo College 7%
  • Bennington 2%
  • % Black
  • Kalamazoo College 6%
  • Bennington 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Kalamazoo College 10%
  • Bennington 6%
  • % Native American
  • Kalamazoo College 0%
  • Bennington 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Kalamazoo College 0%
  • Bennington 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Kalamazoo College 5%
  • Bennington 5%
  • % International
  • Kalamazoo College 7%
  • Bennington 13%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Kalamazoo College 6%
  • Bennington 5%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Kalamazoo College 67%
  • Bennington 5%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Kalamazoo College 30%
  • Bennington 85%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Kalamazoo College Yes
  • Bennington Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Kalamazoo College Yes
  • Bennington No
  • Meal Plan
  • Kalamazoo College Yes
  • Bennington Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Kalamazoo College No
  • Bennington No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Kalamazoo College No
  • Bennington No

Comparable Facts

Compare Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, MI with Bennington College in Bennington, VT on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Kalamazoo College is larger than Bennington based on total student enrollment (1,166 students vs. 927 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kalamazoo College is located in Kalamazoo, MI (Small City setting); Bennington College is in Bennington, VT (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Kalamazoo College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Bennington College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kalamazoo College 10:1; Bennington College 9:1.

Kalamazoo College vs. Bennington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kalamazoo College or Bennington? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kalamazoo College than Bennington ($26,956 vs. $34,220).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kalamazoo College are 34.3% lower than at Bennington College ($12,549 vs. $19,108).
  • Bennington College is 8.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Kalamazoo College (about $5,212 more per year; $66,262.00 vs. $61,050.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 8.5% higher at Bennington than at Kalamazoo College (about $5,212 more per year; $66,262.00 vs. $61,050.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bennington College than at Kalamazoo College (100% vs. 99%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bennington College students is 12.3% larger than aid received by Kalamazoo College students ($53,064 vs. $47,252).

Kalamazoo College vs. Bennington Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kalamazoo College or Bennington? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Bennington and Kalamazoo College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Bennington College (1350) is 70 points higher than at Kalamazoo College (1280).
  • Incoming Bennington students have a 7 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 24 at Kalamazoo College).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kalamazoo College 1170/1380; Bennington College 1291/1403.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kalamazoo College 20/29; Bennington College 30/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Kalamazoo College - Test optional; Bennington - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Kalamazoo College Jan 15, 2027; Bennington Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Kalamazoo College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Bennington (3.51).
  • Kalamazoo College has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Bennington (44.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.7% at Kalamazoo College vs. 11.5% at Bennington.

Kalamazoo College vs. Bennington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kalamazoo College and Bennington? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Kalamazoo College's six-year graduation rate (80%) is higher than Bennington College's (67%).
  • Graduates from Kalamazoo College earn a median of about $22,700 more per year than Bennington graduates about ten years after starting college ($54,400 vs. $31,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Bennington College graduates have a $450 lower median loan debt than Kalamazoo College graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,450).
  • Among borrowers, Bennington graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Kalamazoo College graduates ($268 vs. $273).
  • More Kalamazoo College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bennington students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 77%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.