Barnard College
New York, New York · Private Nonprofit · 8.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 90/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Barnard College scores 90 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale, a strong result for a highly selective liberal arts college with a $69,888 sticker tuition. The net price of $28,800 per year cuts the effective cost dramatically - and for the lowest income bracket, to $11,600 per year. Against $52,800 average 6-year earnings, the payback period is 5.6 years. The completion rate is 93.0%, and the 91.2% repayment rate reflects graduates managing their debt load with discipline. Median debt is $18,000. The program roster is strongest in Economics (104 graduates, A grade, $85,860 year-one) and Computer and Information Sciences (53 graduates, A grade, $107,434 year-one). Neurobiology earns a D grade due to $24,569 year-one earnings - a figure that reflects the pre-medical pipeline rather than final career earnings.
The median graduate earns $80,516 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Barnard College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $69,888/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $69,888/yr |
| Average net price | $28,800/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $115,200 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $80,516 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $52,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $191 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 93.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,264 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $69,888/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $28,800/year, or roughly $115,200 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $11,600/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $51,378/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,000, which works out to about $191 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($52,800) and comes to 0.34, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $11,600 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,374 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,094 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,753 |
| $110,001+ | $51,378 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $11,600 per year at Barnard - $46,400 over four years if completed. Barnard's aid generosity for the lowest-income students is exceptional given the $69,888 sticker price.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $19,094 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $24,753. Both represent strong value against $52,800 average 6-year earnings. At $24,753 per year over four years ($99,012 total), the payback period is approximately 7.5 years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000 or more pay $51,378 per year - roughly $205,000 over four years. At this price level, the payback period extends considerably against the $52,800 average earnings. However, Economics and CS graduates reporting $85k-$107k year-one reduce the payback window significantly. High-income families with students targeting finance, consulting, or technology careers will find the case financially defensible; those in lower-earning fields face a longer return timeline.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Barnard College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $111,909 | A |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $65,644 | B |
| International Relations | $77,805 | B+ |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $66,787 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $61,327 | C+ |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $107,434 | A |
| History | $62,258 | B+ |
| Sociology | $77,821 | B+ |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $39,947 | C+ |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | $79,807 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences (53 graduates) reports $107,434 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.177 - an A grade. Scorecard does not report year-four earnings for this cohort. Median debt is $19,000 against a $107k starting salary.
Economics
Economics is the school's largest tracked program (104 graduates) and earns an A grade: $85,860 year-one and $111,909 year-four earnings with only $16,750 in median debt. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.195 is excellent for a liberal arts major. Economics graduates from Barnard enter finance, consulting, and tech sectors in New York City at strong starting salaries. The four-year trajectory to $112k confirms durable earnings growth.
International Relations
International Relations (70 graduates) earns a B+ grade: $57,298 year-one and $77,805 year-four with $19,000 median debt and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.332. The year-four figure of $78k reflects diverse career trajectories rather than a single high-paying sector.
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (63 graduates) earns a D grade with $24,569 year-one and $66,787 year-four earnings and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.712. The $24k year-one figure is consistent with students in medical school, graduate research programs, or clinical training - the Scorecard captures the gap between undergraduate graduation and eventual professional earnings.
Research and Experimental Psychology
Research and Experimental Psychology (81 graduates) earns a B grade: $44,055 year-one and $65,644 year-four with $17,000 median debt and a ratio of 0.386. The year-one figure is modest but the debt load is low enough to stay manageable. Many psychology graduates pursue graduate clinical or research training; the Scorecard data captures those in the workforce. The four-year trajectory to $66k suggests reasonable career progression for those who do not pursue advanced degrees.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 88.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 91.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 93.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 94.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Barnard College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 8.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 740-790 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 730-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 32-34 |
| Enrollment | 3,264 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 15.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $15,995 |
At 8.84% admission, Barnard is highly selective by any measure. SAT Math 740-790 and Reading 730-770 place admitted students in approximately the 97th-99th percentile range. The low admission rate reflects genuine demand and limited capacity.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnard College (this school) | 90 | $28,800 | $80,516 |
| Wellesley College | 94 | $25,496 | $84,803 |
| Scripps College | 78 | $36,294 | $77,539 |
| Bryn Mawr College | 74 | $31,759 | $75,217 |
| Smith College | 73 | $27,579 | $64,027 |
| Simmons University | 72 | $25,265 | $63,494 |
Who Thrives Here
Barnard College admits 8.84% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 740-790 Math and 730-770 Reading; ACT composite 32-34. The school enrolls 3,264 students - exclusively women - in New York City. Pell grant rate of 15.9% indicates a lower share of lower-income students than the net price data alone would suggest; the school's generous aid model is partially offset by its applicant pool demographics.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Barnard College is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $115,200 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $80,516 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 5.6 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 93.0% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $18,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $52,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Barnard College: Common Questions
Is Barnard College worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Barnard College pays off. It scores 90/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $28,800 a year after aid ($115,200 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $80,516 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.6 years to earn back.
How much does Barnard College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $28,800 a year, or roughly $115,200 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Barnard College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $80,516 ten years after enrolling, roughly $38,716 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Barnard College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 5.6 years for Barnard College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Barnard College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,000, against average earnings of $52,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Barnard College?
The six-year graduation rate is 93.0%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.