Head-to-head comparison
Bard College vs Herkimer County 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 Herkimer, NY
Herkimer County Community College
- Net price / year
- $13,419
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,199
- 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 $39,199 at Herkimer County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Herkimer County Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $13,419 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $26,838 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $39,199 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | $11,365 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$210,058 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Herkimer County Community College?
Herkimer County Community College, at $13,419 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $21,230 a year, or $111,758 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 Herkimer County Community College graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $7,344 more than the $39,199 at Herkimer County 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 Herkimer County Community College?
Herkimer County Community College: its completers carry a median $11,365 in federal loans versus $24,254 at Bard College, a difference of $12,889. 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 35% at Herkimer County 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.