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Bard College
About 52 in 100 applicants get into Bard College — solidly within reach for students near the ranges below.
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Bard College anchors the college town of Annandale-On-Hudson, NY, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. International students are a visible presence here — 14.1% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Biological and Physical Sciences, where graduates median $64,518 four years out. Faculty pay averages $151,068 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 2,414 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 84.6% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1290 and 1440 — above the NY middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Bard College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
You can apply to Bard College without scores. Among admitted students who did submit, the middle half landed between 1290 and 1440; applicants below that range often simply apply without them.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 670 | 710 | 740 |
| SAT Math | 620 | 660 | 700 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 31 | 32 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Bard College received 6,628 applications and admitted 3,466 (52.3%), with 402 enrolling.
How Bard College compares
| Bard College | New York median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 52.1% | 70.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $66,436 | $17,408 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $46,543 | $60,236 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, Bard College's median earnings are $46,543 — below the New York benchmark of $60,236. Weigh that against the $66,436 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
Bard College lists tuition at $66,436 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Bard College's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $66,436 as the ceiling, not the bill.
Bard College enrolls 2,414 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs Bard College's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
67.6% graduate within six years. Roughly 32% don't — ask a Bard College tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Bard College
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences | $64,518 |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | $50,402 |
| Social Sciences, General | $48,751 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $38,298 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $34,667 |
Median earnings for these 5 Bard College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $46,543 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 19 additional Bard College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Bard College?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1290–1440 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 52.1% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Bard College's acceptance rate?
52.3% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 3,466 admitted from 6,628 applicants.
How much does Bard College cost?
At Bard College, published tuition is $66,436 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Bard College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Bard College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $46,543 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in New York
- Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences — 52.7% admitted
- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College — 47.5% admitted
- CUNY Brooklyn College — 58.4% admitted
- CUNY Hunter College — 53.8% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.