TCNJ vs. Bard College

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

TCNJ Bard College
Location Ewing, NJ Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 7,652 2,922
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #164 #180
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tcnj.edu bard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TCNJ Bard College
Tuition (In State) $14,706 $62,790
Tuition (Out of State) $20,589 $62,790
Room & Board $15,569 $18,040
Avg Net Price $22,379 $25,218
Avg Grant Aid $13,824 $56,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 77%

Admission

TCNJ Bard College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,668 6,628
Admitted 7,251 3,466
Acceptance Rate 62.1% 52.3%
Enrolled % 21.3% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/31 30/32
SAT Range 1140/1340 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 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

TCNJ Bard College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

TCNJ Bard College
Graduation Rate 87% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,100 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,194
Median Loan Payment $240 $270

Diversity

TCNJ Bard College
% Men 2% 6%
% Women 6% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 63%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 12% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 0% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 11%

Students

TCNJ Bard College
% In-State 95% 31%
% Out-of-State 5% 59%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The College of New Jersey is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (7,652 students vs. 2,922 students)

TCNJ vs. Bard College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCNJ or Bard College?

  • Bard College is 327% more expensive to attend than TCNJ for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $14,706.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 205% higher at Bard College than The College of New Jersey ($62,790.00 vs. $20,589.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The College of New Jersey than Bard College ($22,379 vs. $25,218)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of New Jersey are 15.9% lower than costs at Bard College ($15,569 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than The College of New Jersey (77% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 307.8% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($56,380 vs. $13,824)

TCNJ vs. Bard College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • TCNJ has a higher acceptance rate (62.1%) than Bard College (52.3%)

TCNJ vs. Bard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TCNJ 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 TCNJ.

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than Bard College (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $20,500 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $41,600)
  • The College of New Jersey students graduate with a $2,944 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,194)
  • TCNJ graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($240 vs. $270)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 81%)

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