Union College vs. Bennington

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

Union College Bennington
Location Schenectady, NY Bennington, VT
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,082 867
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #87
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website union.edu bennington.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Union College Bennington
Tuition (In State) $66,105 $63,802
Tuition (Out of State) $66,105 $63,802
Room & Board $16,389 $18,640
Avg Net Price $42,884 $35,108
Avg Grant Aid $38,751 $47,860
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 98%

Admission

Union College Bennington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,295 2,825
Admitted 4,070 1,357
Acceptance Rate 43.8% 48%
Enrolled % 13.5% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/33 30/32
SAT Range 1310/1480 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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Union College Bennington
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (39%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

Union College Bennington
Graduation Rate 86% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,200 $31,700
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

Union College Bennington
% Men 0% 2%
% Women 1% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 65%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 7% 13%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Union College Bennington
% In-State 28% 2%
% Out-of-State 63% 87%

Campus

Union College Bennington
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

  • Union College is larger than than Bennington based on total student enrollment (2,082 students vs. 867 students)

Union College vs. Bennington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Union College or Bennington?

  • Union College is 3.6% more expensive to attend than Bennington for in-state tuition ($66,105.00 vs. $63,802.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.6% higher at Union College than Bennington College ($66,105.00 vs. $63,802.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bennington College than Union College ($35,108 vs. $42,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Union College are 13.7% lower than costs at Bennington College ($16,389 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bennington College than Union College (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bennington College students is 23.5% larger than aid received Union College ($47,860 vs. $38,751)

Union College vs. Bennington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Bennington students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Union College (3.5)
  • Bennington has a higher acceptance rate (48%) than Union College (43.8%)

Union College vs. Bennington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Union College 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 Union College.

  • The graduation rate at Union College is higher than Bennington College (86% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $42,500 more per year than Bennington graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $31,700)
  • Bennington College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Bennington graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Union College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Union College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bennington students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 77%)

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