Bard College
Annandale-On-Hudson, New York · Private · 2,414 undergraduates · bard.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
52%
of applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1270 to 1450
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$100,280Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Bard College
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
52% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$100,280
a year in 2027-28, from a $100,280 sticker price
What to do with your 1360
Send your score
About 80% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1220, and yours is above it.
Source: College Navigator (federal data on fall 2024 freshmen)
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- Bard Entrance Exam: an online essay exam that is an alternative application method (no Common App/Coalition needed)
Source: First-Year Applicants | Bard College Admission · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Nov1Other deadline · November 1, 2026
- Jan15Early Decision II · January 15, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
52%
of applicants are admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above.
SAT total 1270 to 1450
Reading and Writing 650 to 750
Math 620 to 700
ACT composite 28 to 32
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$100,280
a year
- Tuition$75,680
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$15,618
- $30,001 to $48,000$19,544
- $48,001 to $75,000$18,767
- $75,001 to $110,000$27,924
- Over $110,000$40,161
Financial aidEstimate
86%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
74%
of freshmen receive grants
$55,235
average grant to freshmen
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
0 of 40
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,570Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 5 | |
| 3-D Art and Design | 5 | |
| Art History | 5 | |
| Biology | 5 | |
| Calculus AB | 5 | |
| Calculus BC | 5 | |
| Chemistry | 5 | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | |
| Computer Science A | 5 | |
| Computer Science Principles | 5 | |
| Drawing | 5 | |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | |
| Environmental Science | 5 | |
| European History | 5 | |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | |
| Human Geography | 5 | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | |
| Latin | 5 | |
| Macroeconomics | 5 | |
| Microeconomics | 5 | |
| Music Aural Subscore | 5 | |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 5 | |
| Music Theory | 5 | |
| Physics 1 | 5 | |
| Physics 2 | 5 | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | |
| Psychology | 5 | |
| Research | 5 | |
| Seminar | 5 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | |
| Statistics | 5 | |
| United States Government and Politics | 5 | |
| United States History | 5 | |
| World History: Modern | 5 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
69%
Come back for a second year
85%
Typical earnings
$54,555
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Bard College$51,835
- All colleges$55,676
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 5 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Bard College. The Bard College logo is a trademark of the college.