Barnard College
New York, New York · Private · 3,264 undergraduates · barnard.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
10%
of 10,426 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1480 to 1540
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$107,060Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Barnard 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
10% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 10% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$107,060
a year in 2027-28, from a $107,060 sticker price
What to do with your 1510
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1510).
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.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Temporary Test-Optional Policy | Barnard College · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan1Regular Decision · January 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
10%
of applicants were admitted: 1,048 of 10,426 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 33% of early applicants were admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 38% of them sent SAT scores and 16% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1480 to 1540
Reading and Writing 730 to 760
Math 730 to 790
ACT composite 32 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160099%
- 1200 to 13991%
- 1000 to 11990%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
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
$107,060
a year
- Tuition$76,040
- Fees$2,570
- Food and housing$24,190
- Books and supplies$1,250
- Transportation and other$3,010
Barnard College published $102,950 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
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$18,022
- $30,001 to $48,000$11,372
- $48,001 to $75,000$9,628
- $75,001 to $110,000$26,883
- Over $110,000$59,926
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$72,461
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
0%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 1/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 3/31
- The last day to send aid forms.
- Also asks for
- Federal Tax Returns & W2s
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
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
30 of 30
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,600Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | AFAS-UN1001 |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | AHIS BC1001 |
| Biology | 4 | 3 | BIOL BC1001 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 3 | Calculus I |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 3 | Calculus I |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 4 | Calculus I, II |
| Chemistry | 4 | 3 | CHEM BC1002 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 0 | Exemption |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POLS V1501 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 | COMS W1004 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | COMS-W1001 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3 | EESC BC1001 |
| European History | 4 | 3 | |
| European History | 5 | 6 | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 6 | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 6 | |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | ||
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | ||
| Latin | 4 | 3 | |
| Latin | 5 | 6 | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | |
| Music Theory | 4 | 3 | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 3 | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 3 | |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSYC BC1001 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | ||
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 3 | 3 pts only upon completion of 3300-level or higher with B+ or better |
| Statistics | 5 | 3 | STAT W1111/UN1101 |
| United States Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POLS BC1001/POLS W1201 |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | |
| United States History | 5 | 6 | |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 6 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
92%
Come back for a second year
97%
Typical earnings
$98,280
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Barnard College$60,329
- All colleges$51,369
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 6 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 Barnard College. The Barnard College logo is a trademark of the college.