University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Bard College

Should I go to University of Massachusetts Lowell or Bard College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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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University of Massachusetts Lowell vs. Bard College comparison
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University of Massachusetts Lowell Bard College
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Overview

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Bard College
Location Lowell, MA Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 16,770 2,922
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #180
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu bard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Bard College
Tuition (In State) $15,850 $62,790
Tuition (Out of State) $34,676 $62,790
Room & Board $15,424 $18,040
Avg Net Price $17,624 $25,218
Avg Grant Aid $12,647 $56,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 77%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Bard College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,628 6,628
Admitted 10,764 3,466
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 52.3%
Enrolled % 19.4% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/30 30/32
SAT Range 1180/1350 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 15, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Bard College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Bard College
Graduation Rate 50% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,194
Median Loan Payment $258 $270

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Bard College
% Men 15% 6%
% Women 13% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 63%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 4% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 11%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Bard College
% In-State 87% 31%
% Out-of-State 10% 59%

Campus

University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than Bard College based on total student enrollment (16,770 students vs. 2,922 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Bard College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Bard College?

  • Bard College is 296.2% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Lowell for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $15,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.1% higher at Bard College than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($62,790.00 vs. $34,676.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Bard College ($17,624 vs. $25,218)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 17% lower than costs at Bard College ($15,424 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Bard College (79% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 345.8% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($56,380 vs. $12,647)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Bard College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than Bard College (52.3%)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Bard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at Bard College is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (76% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Lowell earn on average $13,700 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $41,600)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell students graduate with a $1,194 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,194)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($258 vs. $270)
  • More Bard College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 63%)

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