The visitors were rarely second best but in truth were given a finishing lesson by a rampant Rochdale side.
The early exchanges were even with Rochdale keeper Tommy Lee denying Barnet's Adam Birchall, while at the other end veteran keeper Lee Harrison saved superbly from Rochdale's Adam Le Fondre.
The deadlock was broken after 34 minutes when Le Fondre popped up in the box for his 16th goal of the season.
Rochdale doubled their lead after 50 minutes with a flowing move involving Adam Rundle and captain Gary Jones, before Rene Howe had all the time in the world to finish from just six yards.
With the game ebbing and flowing, Le Fondre was denied again by Harrison on 67 minutes and Howe rifled a shot into the side-netting, before Rochdale made the game safe on 73 minutes when Rundle and Howe combined to present Kallum Higginbotham with a close-range goal.
Still not subdued, Barnet continued to play their part in the game with Albert Adomah forcing a save out of Lee and then, in the dying seconds, the keeper produced a stunning save to deny Birchall a consolation goal.
With eight points separating Rochdale from eighth-placed Chesterfield, their place in the end of season play-offs now seems assured.