College of the Atlantic vs Bennington College

College of the Atlantic and Bennington College, both renowned for their unique educational approaches, offer prospective students distinct experiences. College of the Atlantic, nestled in Bar Harbor, Maine, boasts a remarkably low acceptance rate of 28%, while Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont, has a slightly higher acceptance rate of 58%. College of the Atlantic's student body is predominantly female (64%), while Bennington College has a more balanced gender ratio (52% female, 48% male). Both institutions excel in different areas of study; College of the Atlantic is known for its strength in environmental science and marine biology, while Bennington College is recognized for its liberal arts and performing arts programs. With College of the Atlantic's 75% graduation rate and Bennington College's 78% graduation rate, both colleges demonstrate a strong commitment to student success. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these exceptional institutions and determine which one aligns best with

	Bennington College	College of the Atlantic
Overview
Location	Bennington, Vermont	Bar Harbor, Maine
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Trimester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	84.0%	81.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	66.9%	61.1%
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	1,726	525
Total number of admissions given out	1,155	321
Admitted students who chose to enroll	249	93
Yield rate	21.6%	29.0%
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	$80,648	$50,442
Average net price	$35,569	$19,142
Tuition	$58,848	$42,993
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $9,350 Meal plan: $7,860	Room/dormitory: $6,210 Meal plan: $3,537
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $43,739	98.0% Average amount $34,744
Students receiving federal student loan	60.0% Average amount $5,083	64.0% Average amount $4,759
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $33,561	6.0% Average amount $16,806

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	771 Men 35.5% Women 64.5%	374 Men 29.7% Women 70.3%
Graduate students	113 Men 20.4% Women 79.6%	2 Men 50.0% Women 50.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	15.5%	23.1%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	769	235
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	Visual & Performing Arts Social Sciences Foreign Languages and Literatures English Language and Literature Public Administration and Social Service	Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	67.8%	66.7%
Dropout rate	7.5%	32.1%
Transferred out	24.8%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $21,916 Year 2: $16,920 Year 3: $24,486

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