Head-to-head comparison
Bard College vs Manhattan School of Music: 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 New York, NY
Manhattan School of Music
- Net price / year
- $51,754
- Earnings, 10 years
- $26,878
- 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 $26,878 at Manhattan School of Music. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Manhattan School of Music |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $51,754 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $207,016 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $26,878 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | $26,994 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$636,656 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Manhattan School of Music?
Bard College, at $34,649 a year after aid versus $51,754 — a gap of $17,105 a year, or $68,420 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 Manhattan School of Music graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $19,665 more than the $26,878 at Manhattan School of Music. 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 Manhattan School of Music?
Bard College: its completers carry a median $24,254 in federal loans versus $26,994 at Manhattan School of Music, a difference of $2,740. 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?
78% of students finish at Manhattan School of Music, 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.