Amherst vs Barnard
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Amherst CollegeAmherst, MACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 2%A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Barnard CollegeNew York, NYCompass Score: Exceptional · Top 3%
At a glance
- For families earning up to $30,000, Amherst has the lower price after aid: $1,086 a year, against $11,600 at Barnard.
- Amherst has the lower average price after aid: $23,367 a year, against $28,800 at Barnard.
- Median debt is lower at Amherst: $13,740, against $18,000 at Barnard.
Scores
Compass Score
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 2%
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 3%
Academic Excellence
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 1%
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 3%
Value
AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 8%
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 33%
The college
Category
Liberal arts colleges
Liberal arts colleges
Location
Amherst, MA
New York, NY
Setting
City
City
Students
1,910
3,353
Sports
NCAA Division III · New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA Division I · Ivy Group
Admission
Admission rate
9%
9%
Average SAT
1533
1520
ACT middle 50%
33–35
32–34
Outcomes
Graduation rate
94%
93%
First-year retention
97%
97%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$77,644
$80,516
Median debt
$13,740
$18,000
Cost
Average price after aid
$23,367
$28,800
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$1,086
$11,600
$30,001–$48,000
$1,570
$15,374
$48,001–$75,000
$17,478
$19,094
$75,001–$110,000
$23,639
$24,753
Over $110,000
$47,521
$51,378
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Computer science $142,680
- Economics $141,730
- Mathematics $124,324
- History $103,601
- Experimental psychology $69,204
- Economics $111,909
- Urban Studies/Affairs $79,807
- Sociology $77,821
- Political science $77,805
- Biology $75,696
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.