Barnard College

New York, NY · Private nonprofit · Large city · Website

Admission rate: 8.8%; Extremely selective
Average net price: $28,930; per year, after aid
Graduation rate: 92%
Median earnings: $98,280; 10 years after enrolling

Barnard College is a private nonprofit college in New York, NY with 3,264 undergraduates. It admits 8.8% of applicants, and admitted students average 1520 on the SAT. The average net price after aid is $28,930 per year ($18,022 for families earning under $30,000). 92% of students graduate, and graduates earn a median of $98,280 ten years after enrolling.

Women's collegeprivate nonprofit college

Admissions

Admission rate: 8.8%; Fall 2024
Testing policy: Test optional; Fall 2024
Applicants: 11,803; Fall 2023
Admitted: 940; Fall 2023
Yield: 76%; of admitted students enrolled

Middle 50% of admitted students (Fall 2024). A quarter scored below the band and a quarter above.

SAT Reading & Writing730–770

200800

SAT Math740–790

200800

ACT Composite32–34

136

What Barnard College looks at

As reported by the college to IPEDS (Fall 2023).

High school recordRequired
High school GPAConsidered
College-prep courseworkRequired
Class rankConsidered
Essay or personal statementRequired
RecommendationsRequired
Demonstrated competenciesConsidered
Legacy statusConsidered
Work experienceConsidered
English proficiency testRequired

Cost

Cost of attendance: $93,398; sticker price, per year
Tuition & fees: $73,033

Net price by family income

Average yearly cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid.

$0–30k$18,022
$30–48k$11,372
$48–75k$9,628
$75–110k$26,883
$110k+$59,926

Get a personal estimate with Barnard College's net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation rate: 92%
Freshman retention: 97%
Median earnings: $98,280; 10 yrs after enrolling
Median debt: $15,000; at graduation

Students

Undergraduates: 3,264
Student–faculty ratio: 10:1
Receive Pell grants: 18%

White32%
Hispanic14%
Black6%
Asian22%

Barnard College FAQ

What is Barnard College's acceptance rate?+

Barnard College admits 8.8% of applicants, which makes it extremely selective.

What SAT score do you need for Barnard College?+

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 730–770 on SAT Reading and Writing and 740–790 on SAT Math; the average total is 1520.

What ACT score do you need for Barnard College?+

The middle 50% ACT composite range for admitted students is 32–34.

Is Barnard College test optional?+

Test optional (considered if submitted).

How many students apply to Barnard College?+

In Fall 2023, 11,803 students applied to Barnard College and 940 were admitted; 711 enrolled.

Does Barnard College consider legacy status?+

Yes. Barnard College reported that legacy status is considered in admissions (Fall 2023).

Does Barnard College require an essay?+

Barnard College reported that an essay or personal statement is required for admission (Fall 2023).

How much does Barnard College cost?+

The sticker cost of attendance is $93,398 per year, but the average net price after grants and scholarships is $28,930.

What is Barnard College's graduation rate?+

92% of full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.

Sources

Admission rate, test scores, cost, students, and outcomes: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (Most Recent Institution-Level Data), released 2026-10-15. Admissions figures are for Fall 2024, costs for 2024-25, and earnings are measured in 2023.
Applicants, admitted, yield, and admission factors: IPEDS Admissions survey (ADM2023), Fall 2023.
IPEDS unit ID 189097 · How we use this data