Head-to-head comparison
Bard College vs Five Towns College: 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 Dix Hills, NY
Five Towns College
- Net price / year
- $22,992
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,887
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bard College comes closer — median earnings $46,543 against a $138,596 total, vs $35,887 at Five Towns College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Five Towns College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $22,992 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $91,968 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $35,887 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | $21,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$341,428 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Five Towns College?
Five Towns College, at $22,992 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $11,657 a year, or $46,628 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 Five Towns College graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $10,656 more than the $35,887 at Five Towns 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 Five Towns College?
Five Towns College: its completers carry a median $21,500 in federal loans versus $24,254 at Bard College, a difference of $2,754. 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?
68% of students finish at Bard College, against 55% at Five Towns 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.