Barnard College vs Wellesley College
Barnard College and Wellesley College, two prestigious liberal arts colleges for women, offer distinct educational experiences. Barnard, located in the heart of New York City, boasts an acceptance rate of 12%, while Wellesley, situated in a vibrant Boston suburb, has an acceptance rate of 20%. Both colleges excel in academics, with Barnard's popular majors including Economics, Psychology, and English, and Wellesley's strengths lying in Biological Sciences, Economics, and English. Barnard's student body is more diverse, with 53% of students identifying as students of color, compared to Wellesley's 44%. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Barnard's at 92% and Wellesley's at 94%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two exceptional colleges. Dive in to discover which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
|
![]() Barnard College |
![]() Wellesley College |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | New York, New York | Wellesley, 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 |
Students retention rate | 97.0% | 97.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 11.5% | 16.2% |
Application fees | $75 | |
SAT range | 1425 - 1550 | 1400 - 1540 |
ACT range | 32 - 34 | 31 - 34 |
Students submitting SAT score | 30.0% | 36.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 21.0% | 23.0% |
Total number of applicants | 10,395 | 7,663 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,192 | 1,240 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 769 | 606 |
Yield rate | 64.5% | 48.9% |
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 | Not required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $80,693 | $64,602 |
Average net price | $28,366 | $21,862 |
Tuition | $57,734 | $60,424 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$11,206
Meal plan:
$7,280
|
Room/dormitory:
$9,704
Meal plan:
$8,584
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
36.0%
Average amount $44,482 |
60.0%
Average amount $55,483 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
32.0%
Average amount $1,946 |
13.0%
Average amount $3,993 |
Students taking out private loans |
7.0%
Average amount $13,974 |
13.0%
Average amount $5,043 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
3,043
Men 0.3% Women 99.7% |
2,461
Men 1.2% Women 98.8% |
Graduate students | N/A | N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | 70.3% | N/A |
International students | 12.6% | 13.8% |
Campus local/setting | City: Large | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 2,411 | 2,211 |
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 | N/A |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 10:1 | 8:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 92.8% | 92.1% |
Dropout rate | 2.7% | 7.8% |
Transferred out | 4.3% | N/A |
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)
|
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.





























































































































































































































