Rutgers vs. Bennington

Should I go to Rutgers University New Brunswick or Bennington College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rutgers or Bennington 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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Rutgers University New Brunswick vs. Bennington College comparison
Rutgers University New Brunswick Bennington College College 3 College 4
Rutgers University New Brunswick Bennington College
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Overview

 Rutgers Bennington
Location New Brunswick, NJ Bennington, VT
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 50,617 867
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #113
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu bennington.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rutgers Bennington
Tuition (In State) $13,674 $63,802
Tuition (Out of State) $32,436 $63,802
Room & Board $14,715 $18,640
Avg Net Price $19,052 $35,108
Avg Grant Aid $16,249 $47,860
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 98%

Admission

 Rutgers Bennington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 43,347 2,825
Admitted 28,326 1,357
Acceptance Rate 65.3% 48%
Enrolled % 27.1% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 30/32
SAT Range 1270/1480 1290/1413
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 15, 2026

Academics

 Rutgers Bennington
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (39%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

 Rutgers Bennington
Graduation Rate 77% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $31,700
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $229 $268

Diversity

 Rutgers Bennington
% Men 10% 2%
% Women 18% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 65%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 7% 13%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 Rutgers Bennington
% In-State 84% 2%
% Out-of-State 8% 87%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Bennington based on total student enrollment (50,617 students vs. 867 students)

Rutgers vs. Bennington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Bennington?

  • Bennington College is 366.6% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($63,802.00 vs. $13,674.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96.7% higher at Bennington than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($63,802.00 vs. $32,436.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Bennington ($19,052 vs. $35,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 26.7% lower than costs at Bennington College ($14,715 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bennington College than Rutgers University New Brunswick (98% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bennington College students is 194.5% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($47,860 vs. $16,249)

Rutgers vs. Bennington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Bennington students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (65.3%) than Bennington (48%)

Rutgers vs. Bennington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers or Bennington? 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 Bennington and Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than Bennington College (77% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $34,500 more per year than Bennington graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $31,700)
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick students graduate with a $3,785 lower median federal student loan debt than Bennington graduates. ($22,215 vs. $26,000)
  • Rutgers graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Bennington graduates. ($229 vs. $268)
  • More Bennington graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 68%)

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