Barnard College vs Mount Holyoke College
Barnard College and Mount Holyoke College, both esteemed liberal arts colleges for women, offer distinct educational experiences. Barnard, located in the vibrant heart of New York City, boasts an acceptance rate of 12%, while Mount Holyoke, nestled in the historic town of South Hadley, Massachusetts, has an acceptance rate of 29%. Barnard's student body is more diverse, with 48% of students identifying as students of color compared to Mount Holyoke's 38%. Both colleges excel in academics, with Barnard's popular majors including social sciences, biological and biomedical sciences, and psychology, while Mount Holyoke's strengths lie in social sciences, biological and biomedical sciences, and English language and literature. Barnard's graduation rate is 89%, while Mount Holyoke's is 87%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two exceptional institutions.
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![]() Barnard College |
![]() Mount Holyoke College |
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Overview |
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Location | New York, New York | South Hadley, Massachusetts |
Campus setting | City: Large | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 97.0% | 91.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 11.5% | 52.3% |
Application fees | $75 |
Undergraduate:
$60
Graduate:
$50
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SAT range | 1425 - 1550 | 1300 - 1510 |
ACT range | 32 - 34 | 31 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 30.0% | 24.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 21.0% | 11.0% |
Total number of applicants | 10,395 | 3,971 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,192 | 2,077 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 769 | 608 |
Yield rate | 64.5% | 29.3% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $80,693 | $73,438 |
Average net price | $28,366 | $29,218 |
Tuition | $57,734 | $56,300 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$11,206
Meal plan:
$7,280
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Room/dormitory:
$8,320
Meal plan:
$8,260
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
36.0%
Average amount $44,482 |
100.0%
Average amount $30,351 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
32.0%
Average amount $1,946 |
42.0%
Average amount $4,906 |
Students taking out private loans |
7.0%
Average amount $13,974 |
7.0%
Average amount $4,982 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
3,043
Men 0.3% Women 99.7% |
2,220
Men 0.1% Women 99.9% |
Graduate students | N/A |
122
Men 13.1% Women 86.9% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Low
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Out-of-state students | 70.3% | N/A |
International students | 12.6% | 23.1% |
Campus local/setting | City: Large | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 2,411 | 2,171 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | New York California New Jersey Mississippi Texas | Mississippi New York California Connecticut Florida |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 10:1 | 10:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 92.8% | 85.0% |
Dropout rate | 2.7% | 2.9% |
Transferred out | 4.3% | 11.9% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
Urban Studies/Affairs (Bachelor's Degrees)
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
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International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Education, Other (Master's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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