Wheaton College vs. Bard College

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

Wheaton College Bard College
Location Wheaton, IL Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 2,799 2,922
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #180
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu bard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Bard College
Tuition (In State) $43,670 $62,790
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $62,790
Room & Board $12,390 $18,040
Avg Net Price $31,346 $25,218
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $56,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 77%

Admission

Wheaton College Bard College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 6,628
Admitted 1,679 3,466
Acceptance Rate 90% 52.3%
Enrolled % 32.9% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 30/32
SAT Range 1260/1440 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 Aug 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Wheaton College Bard College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Bard College
Graduation Rate 87% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,194
Median Loan Payment $232 $270

Diversity

Wheaton College Bard College
% Men 10% 6%
% Women 14% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 63%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 11%

Students

Wheaton College Bard College
% In-State 21% 31%
% Out-of-State 54% 59%

Campus

Wheaton College 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

  • Bard College is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 2,799 students)

Wheaton College vs. Bard College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Bard College?

  • Bard College is 43.8% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.8% higher at Bard College than Wheaton College ($62,790.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than Wheaton College ($25,218 vs. $31,346)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 45.6% lower than costs at Bard College ($12,390 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Bard College (98% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 123.8% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($56,380 vs. $25,196)

Wheaton College vs. Bard College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Bard College (52.3%)

Wheaton College vs. Bard College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College 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 Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Bard College (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $12,700 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $41,600)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $3,694 lower median federal student loan debt than Bard College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,194)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Bard College graduates. ($232 vs. $270)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 81%)

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