Wellesley vs. Barnard

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

Wellesley Barnard
Location Wellesley, MA New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,447 3,442
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #35
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wellesley.edu barnard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wellesley Barnard
Tuition (In State) $61,584 $60,478
Tuition (Out of State) $61,584 $60,478
Room & Board $19,080 $19,364
Avg Net Price $21,362 $26,009
Avg Grant Aid $61,328 $53,817
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 45%

Admission

Wellesley Barnard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,491 12,009
Admitted 1,152 1,056
Acceptance Rate 13.6% 8.8%
Enrolled % 50.8% 66%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 32/34
SAT Range 1430/1550 1440/1550
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 8, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Wellesley Barnard
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Wellesley Barnard
Graduation Rate 92% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,100 $66,900
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,900 $17,847
Median Loan Payment $92 $184

Diversity

Wellesley Barnard
% Men 1% 3%
% Women 99% 97%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 53%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6%
% International 12% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Wellesley Barnard
% In-State 11% 28%
% Out-of-State 73% 60%

Campus

Wellesley Barnard
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

  • Barnard College is larger than than Wellesley based on total student enrollment (3,442 students vs. 2,447 students)

Wellesley vs. Barnard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wellesley or Barnard?

  • Wellesley College is 1.8% more expensive to attend than Barnard for in-state tuition ($61,584.00 vs. $60,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at Wellesley than Barnard College ($61,584.00 vs. $60,478.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Barnard ($21,362 vs. $26,009)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wellesley College are 1.5% lower than costs at Barnard College ($19,080 vs. $19,364)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wellesley College than Barnard College (59% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 14% larger than aid received Barnard College ($61,328 vs. $53,817)

Wellesley vs. Barnard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wellesley College (1369) is 12 points higher than at Barnard (1357)
  • Incoming Barnard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Wellesley (30)
  • Accepted freshman Wellesley students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Barnard (3.85)
  • Wellesley has a higher acceptance rate (13.6%) than Barnard (8.8%)

Wellesley vs. Barnard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wellesley or Barnard? 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 Barnard and Wellesley.

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is the same as at Barnard College (92% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Wellesley College earn on average $1,200 more per year than Barnard graduates after ten years. ($68,100 vs. $66,900)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $8,947 lower median federal student loan debt than Barnard graduates. ($8,900 vs. $17,847)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $92 less per month on federal student loans than Barnard graduates. ($92 vs. $184)
  • More Barnard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wellesley students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 86%)

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