Head-to-head comparison
Monroe Community College vs Bard College: which has better ROI?
Option A Rochester, NY
Monroe Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,353
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,174
- 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 $40,174 at Monroe Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Monroe Community College | Bard College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,353 | $34,649 |
| Total net cost | $12,706 | $138,596 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,174 | $46,543 |
| Median debt | $9,750 | $24,254 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$176,426 | -$174,936 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Monroe Community College or Bard College?
Monroe Community College, at $6,353 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $28,296 a year, or $125,890 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 Monroe Community College or Bard College graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $6,369 more than the $40,174 at Monroe 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, Monroe Community College or Bard College?
Monroe Community College: its completers carry a median $9,750 in federal loans versus $24,254 at Bard College, a difference of $14,504. 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 27% at Monroe 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.