Head-to-head comparison
Bard College vs Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences: 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
Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences
- Net price / year
- $29,688
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,699
- 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 $29,699 at Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $29,688 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $59,376 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $29,699 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | $22,146 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$432,596 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences?
Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences, at $29,688 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $4,961 a year, or $79,220 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 Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $16,844 more than the $29,699 at Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences. 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 Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences?
Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences: its completers carry a median $22,146 in federal loans versus $24,254 at Bard College, a difference of $2,108. 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 57% at Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences. 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.