Head-to-head comparison
Mohawk Valley Community College vs Bard College: which has better ROI?
Option A Utica, NY
Mohawk Valley Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,987
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,850
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Bard College
- Net price / year
- $34,649
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,543
- 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 $39,850 at Mohawk Valley Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Mohawk Valley Community College | Bard College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,987 | $34,649 |
| Total net cost | $17,974 | $138,596 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,850 | $46,543 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $24,254 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$188,174 | -$174,936 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Mohawk Valley Community College or Bard College?
Mohawk Valley Community College, at $8,987 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $25,662 a year, or $120,622 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 Mohawk Valley Community College or Bard College graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $6,693 more than the $39,850 at Mohawk Valley Community 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, Mohawk Valley Community College or Bard College?
Mohawk Valley Community College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $24,254 at Bard College, a difference of $13,254. 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 38% at Mohawk Valley Community 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.