Bennington College vs Bard College at Simon's Rock

Bennington College and Bard College at Simon's Rock, both esteemed liberal arts colleges, offer unique educational experiences. Bennington, located in Vermont, boasts a 68% acceptance rate, while Bard at Simon's Rock in Massachusetts has a more selective 48% acceptance rate. Bennington's student body is larger, with an undergraduate enrollment of 680 compared to Bard at Simon's Rock's 400. Both colleges offer a diverse range of majors, with Bennington excelling in the arts, while Bard at Simon's Rock emphasizes social sciences. Bennington's graduation rate stands at 79%, while Bard at Simon's Rock's is slightly higher at 82%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more distinctions between these two exceptional institutions and determine which aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Bard College at Simon's Rock logo

Bard College at Simon's Rock

Bennington College logo

Bennington College

Overview

Location Great Barrington, Massachusetts Bennington, Vermont
Campus setting Town: Distant Town: Distant
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 72.0% 84.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 80.1% 66.9%
Application fees $85
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 216 1,726
Total number of admissions given out 173 1,155
Admitted students who chose to enroll 111 249
Yield rate 64.2% 21.6%
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

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $82,201 $80,648
Average net price $37,869 $35,569
Tuition $59,518 $58,848
Room & board $16,618
Room/dormitory: $9,350

Meal plan: $7,860
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

95.0%
Average amount $38,315
99.0%
Average amount $43,739
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,245
60.0%
Average amount $5,083
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $23,602
4.0%
Average amount $33,561

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 328
Men 36.6% Women 63.4%
771
Men 35.5% Women 64.5%
Graduate students N/A 113
Men 20.4% Women 79.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 11.0% 15.5%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 443 769
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Liberal Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • English Language and Literature
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 69.6% 67.8%
Dropout rate 19.1% 7.5%
Transferred out 11.3% 24.8%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) N/A
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,354
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $33,127
Visual and Performing Arts, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $14,867
  • Year 2: $17,950
  • Year 3: $15,066
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,964
  • Year 3: N/A
Literature (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,202
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $15,302
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,599
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A