Head-to-head comparison
Bard College vs Erie 1 BOCES: which has better ROI?
Option A Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Bard College
- Net price / year
- $34,649
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,543
- Payback
- No payback
Option B West Seneca, NY
Erie 1 BOCES
- Net price / year
- $12,987
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,114
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Erie 1 BOCES comes closer — median earnings $47,114 against a $51,948 total, vs $46,543 at Bard College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Erie 1 BOCES |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $12,987 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $51,948 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $47,114 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$76,868 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Erie 1 BOCES?
Erie 1 BOCES, at $12,987 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $21,662 a year, or $86,648 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Bard College or Erie 1 BOCES graduates earn more?
Erie 1 BOCES graduates report a median $47,114 ten years after entry, $571 more than the $46,543 at Bard College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Bard College or Erie 1 BOCES?
Erie 1 BOCES: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $24,254 at Bard College, a difference of $14,754. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
96% of students finish at Erie 1 BOCES, against 68% at Bard College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.