School of the Art Institute of Chicago vs Bard College

When it comes to choosing the right college, it's important to consider factors such as acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. In this comprehensive comparison, we'll delve into the distinct characteristics of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and Bard College, providing you with valuable insights to help you make an informed decision. While SAIC boasts a lower acceptance rate and a focus on visual and performing arts, Bard College offers a more diverse range of majors and a higher graduation rate. Explore our detailed comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Bard College	School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Overview
Location	Annandale-On-Hudson, New York	Chicago, Illinois
Campus setting	Town: Fringe	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	87.0%	83.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	59.9%	81.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $65	Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $45
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants	5,167	5,835
Total number of admissions given out	3,096	4,725
Admitted students who chose to enroll	473	669
Yield rate	15.3%	14.2%
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	$72,868	$67,380
Average net price	$24,318	$50,214
Tuition	$57,498	$52,200
Room & board	$16,760	Room/dormitory: $13,500 Meal plan: $2,480
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	79.0% Average amount $50,598	93.0% Average amount $20,194
Students receiving federal student loan	49.0% Average amount $5,101	45.0% Average amount $5,504
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $16,225	8.0% Average amount $32,788

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,171 Men 44.4% Women 55.6%	2,795 Men 24.8% Women 75.2%
Graduate students	420 Men 40.2% Women 59.8%	764 Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	14.7%	30.4%
Campus local/setting	Town: Fringe	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,400	990
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 Business Education Natural Resources and Conservation	Visual & Performing Arts English Language and Literature Health Professions Education Architecture
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	70.6%	65.0%
Dropout rate	9.9%	7.5%
Transferred out	18.3%	25.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $45,261 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A English Language and Literature/Letters, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,624 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Biological and Physical Sciences (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,818 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Social Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,172 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $17,518 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,944 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Music (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $27,353 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $51,051 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,981 Year 2: $22,192 Year 3: $28,893 Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $26,095 Year 2: $22,055 Year 3: $27,442 Architecture (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,707 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,461 Year 2: $35,600 Year 3: N/A Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $27,550 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,246 Year 2: $38,829 Year 3: N/A

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Bard College

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