Barnard College

New York, NY · Private

Official website

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Admission rate

Barnard College admitted 10.8% of applicants university-wide (1,100 of 10,195).

CohortAdmit rateAdmittedApplicants
University-wide10.8%1,10010,195
In-state10.8%2202,039
Out-of-state10.8%6606,117
International applicants10.8%2202,039
Early Decision (binding)25.6%4341,694

Early Decision applicants were admitted at 25.6%, vs 10.8% overall — ED is a binding commitment.

Of 1,100 admitted students, 630 enrolled (57.3% yield).

Barnard College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.

Test scores and GPA of admitted students

SAT (mid-50%)
1470–1560
ACT (mid-50%)
32–34
GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
3.754.00

Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)

Barnard College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.

Cost and financial aid

Published cost of attendance: $98,652/yr.

Out-of-state tuition$69,888
Fees, housing, food, books & other$28,764
Sticker cost of attendance$98,652/yr

Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)

Under $30k$11,600
$30k–48k$15,374
$48k–75k$19,094
$75k–110k$24,753
Over $110k$51,378

U.S. Dept. of Education · College Scorecard — average net price by family income (Title IV, from IPEDS) · 2023

US applicants

Need- and merit-based aid available.

  • Barnard ScholarshipUp to $28,000 per year (Merit)
  • Honors Scholarship$12,000 per year (Merit)
  • Barnard College GrantUp to full demonstrated need (Need Based)
  • Davis United World College Scholars ProgramUp to full demonstrated need (Need Based)
  • Distinguished Scholar AwardFull tuition (Full Tuition)

International applicants

Meets full demonstrated need for internationals.

  • Barnard ScholarshipUp to $28,000 per year (Merit)
  • Honors Scholarship$12,000 per year (Merit)
  • Barnard College GrantUp to full demonstrated need (Need Based)
  • Davis United World College Scholars ProgramUp to full demonstrated need (Need Based)
  • Distinguished Scholar AwardFull tuition (Full Tuition)

Barnard College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023

Application requirements

US applicants

  • Official Transcript and Exam Results
  • SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
  • Common Application
  • CSS Profile
  • Parent Foreign Income Documentation
  • InitialView or Vericant Interview (optional)
  • Application fee

International applicants

  • Official Transcript and Exam Results
  • SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
  • Common Application
  • CSS Profile
  • Parent Foreign Income Documentation
  • InitialView or Vericant Interview (optional)
  • Application fee
  • English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
  • GPA credential conversion
  • Predicted Class XII marksheet
  • Financial documentation (I-20)

Barnard College · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025

Essay prompts

The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 2 college-specific supplements:

  1. Why Barnard? (300 words)300 words · Required
  2. Barnard is a college where women learn from women. Describe a woman who inspires you. What about her character and accomplishments are most compelling to you? (250 words)250 words · Required

Draft these in the free Essay Coach

Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026

Graduate outcomes

Median earnings
$80,516
Median earnings · 10 years after entry
Graduation rate
93%
Within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
96.6%
Return for year two · CDS Section B
Median debt
$18,000
At graduation

Barnard College · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.

Published rankings

  • U.S. News Liberal Arts: #13
  • WSJ: #188
  • Forbes: #104
  • Niche: #42

Deadlines

  • 2026-11-01Early DecisionBinding early round
  • 2027-01-01Regular DecisionStandard deadline

Barnard College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C21–C22 · 2023

Academics and campus

Largest degree fields: Social sciences (26%), Biological & life sciences (13%), Psychology (11%).

Student–faculty ratio: 10:1 · 67% of class sections have under 20 students.

Barnard College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.

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