Head-to-head comparison
School of Visual Arts vs Bard College: which has better ROI?
Option A New York, NY
School of Visual Arts
- Net price / year
- $57,914
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,459
- 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 $46,459 at School of Visual Arts. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | School of Visual Arts | Bard College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $57,914 | $34,649 |
| Total net cost | $231,656 | $138,596 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,459 | $46,543 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $24,254 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$269,676 | -$174,936 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, School of Visual Arts or Bard College?
Bard College, at $34,649 a year after aid versus $57,914 — a gap of $23,265 a year, or $93,060 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 School of Visual Arts or Bard College graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $84 more than the $46,459 at School of Visual Arts. 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, School of Visual Arts or Bard College?
Bard College: its completers carry a median $24,254 in federal loans versus $27,000 at School of Visual Arts, a difference of $2,746. 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?
76% of students finish at School of Visual Arts, against 68% at Bard 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.