Bard College
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 12.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.2 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $12.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,555,972.
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What The Data Says
A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
Every $1 invested returns $12.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Bard College Matters
Bard College is a private liberal arts college in Annandale-On-Hudson, NY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 2,414
- Setting
- Rural
- Primary Strengths
- Visual & Performing Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, English & Literature
Why students choose Bard College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 52% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1270–1450. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $34,649 a year after grants and scholarships — 102% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $46,543 ten years after enrolling — 14% above the typical college, against $24,254 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 47% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.79 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Bard College is a great fit for students who are passionate about the arts and humanities. With an enrollment of around 2,400, it maintains a cozy atmosphere where students can dive deep into programs like Visual & Performing Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The acceptance rate of 52% suggests that while it’s selective, it remains accessible to many who are eager to explore their creative and intellectual interests.
When it comes to life after graduation, Bard graduates earn an average of $46,543 within ten years of completing their degree. This number suggests that many graduates find fulfilling careers, even if their paths may be less traditional. Affordability is an important consideration; while the net price after aid is $34,649, which can be a stretch for some, the median debt of $24,254 shows that many students manage to keep their borrowings relatively low.
For those who thrive at Bard, it’s often students who are self-motivated and deeply committed to their fields of study. The financial landscape can be challenging, but with a Pell Grant rate of 17%, there are resources for those who qualify for federal aid. Bard attracts individuals who are ready to engage with their education, making it a supportive community for artistic and academic exploration.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Bard College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Bard College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York, Bard College admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 52%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,380. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 70%.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bard College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Bard College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $66,436 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $34,649 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $19,012 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $24,254.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Bard College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Bard College earn a median of $46,543, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How Bard Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Bard College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Bard College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $34,649/year ($138,596 total). Graduates earn $46,543 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,694,568 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,555,972 (12.2× your investment). The median debt is $24,254, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 70% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Bard College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Bard College is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 1.53%, well above the typical college. About 6.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 23.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $117,900, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Bard College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Bard College's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Bard College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
Based in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York, Bard College admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 52%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,380. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 70%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bard College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Bard College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $66,436 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $34,649 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $19,012 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $24,254.
Is Bard College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Bard College earn a median of $46,543, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Does Bard College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Bard College is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 1.53%, well above the typical college. About 6.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 23.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $117,900, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Bard College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks +
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Bard College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.79 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 21% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Bard College.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Bard College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Bard College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.79 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 21% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note