Head-to-head comparison
Bard College vs Houghton University: 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 Houghton, NY
Houghton University
- Net price / year
- $20,519
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,721
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Houghton University comes closer — median earnings $46,721 against a $82,076 total, vs $46,543 at Bard College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Houghton University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $20,519 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $82,076 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $46,721 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | $25,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$114,856 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Houghton University?
Houghton University, at $20,519 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $14,130 a year, or $56,520 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 Houghton University graduates earn more?
Houghton University graduates report a median $46,721 ten years after entry, $178 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 Houghton University?
Bard College: its completers carry a median $24,254 in federal loans versus $25,250 at Houghton University, a difference of $996. 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 65% at Houghton University. 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.