Head-to-head comparison
Bard College vs Fulton-Montgomery Community 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 Johnstown, NY
Fulton-Montgomery Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,696
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,535
- 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 $39,535 at Fulton-Montgomery Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Fulton-Montgomery Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $6,696 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $13,392 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $39,535 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | $12,125 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$189,892 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Fulton-Montgomery Community College?
Fulton-Montgomery Community College, at $6,696 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $27,953 a year, or $125,204 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 Fulton-Montgomery Community College graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $7,008 more than the $39,535 at Fulton-Montgomery Community 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 Fulton-Montgomery Community College?
Fulton-Montgomery Community College: its completers carry a median $12,125 in federal loans versus $24,254 at Bard College, a difference of $12,129. 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 40% at Fulton-Montgomery Community 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.