Bard College vs Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bard College comes closer — median earnings $46,543 against a $138,596 total, vs $36,442 at Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bard College | Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,649 | $3,822 |
| Total net cost | $138,596 | $15,288 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,543 | $36,442 |
| Median debt | $24,254 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,936 | -$253,648 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Bard College or Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary?
Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary, at $3,822 a year after aid versus $34,649 — a gap of $30,827 a year, or $123,308 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Bard College or Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary graduates earn more?
Bard College graduates report a median $46,543 ten years after entry, $10,101 more than the $36,442 at Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
Which graduates more of its students?
68% of students finish at Bard College, against 63% at Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.