Head-to-head comparison
Barnard College vs Union College: which has better ROI?
Option A New York, NY
Barnard College
- Net price / year
- $28,800
- Earnings, 10 years
- $80,516
- Payback
- 3.6 yrs
Option B Schenectady, NY
Union College
- Net price / year
- $34,561
- Earnings, 10 years
- $88,604
- Payback
- 3.4 yrs
Union College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $138,244 in 3.4 years versus 3.6 years at Barnard College, on median earnings of $88,604 vs $80,516 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Barnard College | Union College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $28,800 | $34,561 |
| Total net cost | $115,200 | $138,244 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $80,516 | $88,604 |
| Median debt | $18,000 | $25,337 |
| Payback | 3.6 yrs | 3.4 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $527,920 | $666,636 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Barnard College or Union College?
Barnard College, at $28,800 a year after aid versus $34,561 — a gap of $5,761 a year, or $23,044 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 Barnard College or Union College graduates earn more?
Union College graduates report a median $88,604 ten years after entry, $8,088 more than the $80,516 at Barnard 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, Barnard College or Union College?
Barnard College: its completers carry a median $18,000 in federal loans versus $25,337 at Union College, a difference of $7,337. 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?
93% of students finish at Barnard College, against 80% at Union 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.