Private nonprofit · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Distant town

Bennington College

Bennington, Vermont. 780 undergraduates. Admits 45% of applicants.

70%Graduation rate16 pts above the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$31,507Average net price per year58% above the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$46,253Median earnings 10 years after starting21% below the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$25,500Median debt at graduation18% above the national median for similar colleges ($21,609)
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($25,500) equals 55% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($46,253).

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$22,350
$30,000–$48,000$24,783
$48,001–$75,000$24,125
$75,001–$110,000$30,079
Over $110,000$43,575

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $68,746.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate70%54%
Return for second year82%76%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$36,616$49,318
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$46,253$58,912
Median debt at graduation$25,500$21,609

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).

Programs and what graduates earn

42 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Visual and Performing Arts, General27$20,353$47,569$27,000
Literature18—$31,367$23,250
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft19$25,445—$27,000
Natural Resources Conservation and Research7———
Architecture2———
Area Studies1———
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies3———
Communication and Media Studies1———
Journalism1———
Graphic Communications2———
Computer Science4———
Education, General1———
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services6———
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics3———
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics3———
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other2———
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services1———
Non-Professional Legal Studies1———
English Language and Literature, General1———
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies12———
Biology, General5———
Mathematics2———
Statistics1———
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution1———
Museology/Museum Studies2———
Data Science1———
Philosophy3———
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences1———
Psychology, General6———
Research and Experimental Psychology1———
Community Organization and Advocacy8———
Public Policy Analysis1———
Social Sciences, General5———
Anthropology1———
Political Science and Government8———
Dance6———
Film/Video and Photographic Arts6———
Fine and Studio Arts5———
Music17———

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

Getting in

45%Admission rate
1,364Average SAT of admitted students
30–32ACT middle 50%
9:1Students per faculty member
31%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

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Quick answers

How much does Bennington College cost per year?
The average net price at Bennington College, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $31,507 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do Bennington College graduates earn?
Former Bennington College students earn a median of $46,253 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at Bennington College?
70% of Bennington College students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do Bennington College graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from Bennington College is $25,500. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.