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Private 4-Year Highly Selective New York, NY

Barnard College

New York, NY

8.8%
Acceptance Rate
$94,582/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$28,800/yr
Avg Price After Aid
93%
6-yr Grad Rate
3,264
Undergrads

About Barnard College

Barnard College is a private nonprofit university with an undergraduate enrollment of 3,264 students and an 8.8% acceptance rate. The college has a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a 93.0% six-year graduation rate. The cost of attendance is $94,582, with 15.9% of students receiving Pell grants and 15.6% being first-generation students.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
3,264
Avg Faculty Salary
$144,130
Endowment
$503.4M
Pell Students
15.9%
First-Gen
15.6%
What Barnard College Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Urban Studies/Affairs 29 graduates · 3.5% of degrees here vs 0.04% nationally 87×
American/United States Studies/Civilization 21 graduates · 2.5% of degrees here vs 0.03% nationally 82×
Research and Experimental Psychology 99 graduates · 12% of degrees here vs 0.6% nationally 20×
Neuroscience 68 graduates · 8.2% of degrees here vs 0.49% nationally 17×
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 82 graduates · 9.9% of degrees here vs 0.76% nationally 13×
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
8.8%
Acceptance rate · Highly Selective
11,803
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$28,800 avg net
Average net price after aid
$11,600
Under $30K income
$503.4M
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$60,411 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
93%
6-yr Grad Rate
$18,000
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Barnard College Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
8.8%
11,803 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
10:1
Undergrad instruction

Barnard College is highly selective with an 8.8% acceptance rate and enrolls 3,264 undergraduates. The institution maintains a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and achieves a 93.0% six-year graduation rate.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 11 applicants is admitted · 11,803 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1470–1560
40080012001600
GPA Distribution — Enrolled Students
8-band breakdown · Source: Common Data Set
4.0
58%
3.75–3.99
34%
3.50–3.74
6%
3.25–3.49
2%
3.00–3.24
2.50–2.99
2.00–2.49
Below 2.0
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
90%
Top quarter
100%
Top half
100%
Waitlist Statistics
Source: Common Data Set
2,055
Offered spot
1,567
Accepted offer
148
Admitted from WL
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Barnard College admits 8.8% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
8.8%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
NY (194)
73.5%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (175)
73.3%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Barnard College Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$28,800
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$18,000
Federal Loan Rate
25.7%
Students borrowing federal loans

Barnard College has a cost of attendance of $94,582. The college enrolls 15.9% Pell Grant recipients and maintains a substantial $503.4 million endowment to support financial aid.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$94,582
Tuition & Fees
$69,888
74%
Room & Board
$21,714
23%
Books & Supplies
$1,150
1%
Other Expenses
$1,830
2%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$11,600
$30,001 – $48,000
$15,374
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,094
$75,001 – $110,000
$24,753
Over $110,000
$51,378
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
84%
Federal loans
26%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $191.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, Barnard College costs $28,800 a year — about 28% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$89,538
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
NY (242)
$26,836
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (218)
$26,490
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
84%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
NY (252)
86.1%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (221)
85.1%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$18,000
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
NY (259)
$14,745
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (230)
$12,523
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$28,800
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
NY (340)
$17,993
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (324)
$18,541
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Barnard College Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
93%
Median Earnings 6yr
$60,411
6 years after entering

Barnard College has a 93.0% six-year graduation rate. Graduates earn a median of $60,411 six years after enrollment and $80,516 ten years after enrollment.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
94.6%
Pell recipients
95.3%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other99
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics82
Neuroscience68
Computer Science61
Political Science and Government, General61
English Language and Literature, General48
Anthropology, General32
History, General29
Urban Studies/Affairs29
Art History, Criticism and Conservation25
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Black
97.2%
Asian
95.1%
Hispanic
93%
White
91.8%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Barnard College are $80,465, and 76% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former Barnard College students earn $60,411 — 33% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$80,516
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
NY (280)
$48,123
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (246)
$47,148
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$60,411
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
NY (292)
$40,179
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (256)
$38,451
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
93%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
NY (181)
57.5%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (166)
56.1%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
96.6%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
NY (157)
81.8%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (145)
81.8%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Barnard College Campus & Faculty

Barnard College is a private nonprofit institution with an undergraduate enrollment of 3,264 students and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The college serves an all-women student body with a 93.0% six-year graduation rate.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
32.4%
Asian
21.9%
Hispanic
14.3%
Black
5.6%
Other Indicators
First-generation
15.6%
Pell grant recipients
15.9%
Women
100%
Academic Resources
299
Full-time faculty
$144,130
Avg faculty salary
2,936
FT staff
$503.4M
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$147,766
Women (avg)
$142,192
Overall avg
$144,130
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
3.9%
Undergrads taking any
3.9%

130 of 3,353 undergraduates study entirely at a distance.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Barnard College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Barnard College spends $15,166 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
15.9%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
NY (359)
39.6%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (344)
44.3%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$15,166
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
NY (257)
$5,954
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (220)
$6,266
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
10:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
NY (366)
14:1
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (353)
15:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at Barnard College
51 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
827 graduates
Social Sciences 236 grads · 6 majors
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 82
Political Science and Government, General 61
Anthropology, General 32
Urban Studies/Affairs 29
Sociology, General 23
Economics, Other 9
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 126 grads · 7 majors
Neuroscience 68
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 19
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 16
Biochemistry 13
Environmental Biology 5
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 3
Cell Physiology 2
Psychology 99 grads · 1 major
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 99
Multidisciplinary Studies 66 grads · 7 majors
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 23
Cognitive Science, General 16
Sustainability Studies 13
Mathematical Economics 11
Ancient Studies/Civilization 1
Mathematics and Computer Science 1
Medieval and Renaissance Studies 1
Computer and Information Sciences 61 grads · 1 major
Computer Science 61
Visual and Performing Arts 52 grads · 5 majors
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 25
Film/Cinema/Media Studies 11
Dance, General 9
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 4
Music, General 3
English Language and Literature 48 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 48
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 34 grads · 5 majors
American/United States Studies/Civilization 21
Women's Studies 7
African Studies 3
Russian Studies 2
Area Studies, Other 1
History 29 grads · 1 major
History, General 29
Physical Sciences 16 grads · 3 majors
Chemistry, General 8
Physics, General 7
Astronomy 1
Architecture 14 grads · 1 major
Pre-Architecture Studies 14
Mathematics and Statistics 14 grads · 5 majors
Mathematics, Other 5
Applied Mathematics, General 3
Mathematics and Statistics 2
Mathematics, General 2
Statistics, General 2
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 12 grads · 4 majors
Comparative Literature 7
Spanish Language and Literature 3
German Language and Literature 1
Italian Language and Literature 1
Philosophy and Religious Studies 11 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 7
Religion/Religious Studies 4
Education 5 grads · 1 major
Education, General 5
Natural Resources and Conservation 4 grads · 1 major
Environmental Science 4
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Barnard College Location & Campus Safety

Barnard College is in New York, NY, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 10.3 miles from the center of New York. There are 127 other colleges within 25 miles, and New York, NY is 10.3 miles away.

Barnard College Other colleges within 30 miles
Large city
Campus Setting
10.3 mi
To City Center
127
Colleges Within 25 mi
8,516,202
New York Population
Living in New York
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,779
Median Rent / mo
$79,713
Median Household Income
31%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
21.9%
Walk
9.4%
Public transit
45.6%

New York County scores 13.8 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 5.1% of New York's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index
Colleges Near Barnard College
Within 30 miles, at least 500 students, by straight-line distance
Helene Fuld College of Nursing 914 students 1.2 mi
SOURCEIPEDS campus coordinates, Barnard College to each campus

Campus Safety at Barnard College

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Barnard College reported for 2024.

4
On-Campus Offenses
2
In Residence Halls
1.1
Per 1,000 Students
3
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
4
2023
6
2024
4
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Burglary
2
Sexual offenses
1
Robbery
1

Separately, Barnard College reported 11 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Barnard College admissions, costs, and outcomes.