Head-to-head comparison
Bard College vs Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus: 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 Albany, NY
Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus
- Net price / year
- $24,241
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,830
- 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 $38,830 at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $24,241 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $96,964 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $38,830 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | $19,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$287,564 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus?
Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus, at $24,241 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $10,408 a year, or $41,632 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 Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $7,713 more than the $38,830 at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus. 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 Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus?
Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus: its completers carry a median $19,000 in federal loans versus $24,254 at Bard College, a difference of $5,254. 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 37% at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus. 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.