TuitionScope
Menu
ES

Theme

Net price calculator by family income

Pick a college and your family income bracket to see what students like you actually pay after grants and scholarships, not the sticker price.

Search any U.S. degree-granting college in our data.

Family income bracket

Choose a college above to see its average net price for your income bracket.

How the net price calculator works

The sticker price of a college, officially the cost of attendance, adds tuition, fees, books, housing, food and other expenses. Very few students pay that amount. Net price is what is left after grants and scholarships from the federal government, the state and the college are subtracted.

The U.S. Department of Education collects the average net price that each college charged students who received federal aid, and splits it into five family income brackets: $0 to $30,000, $30,001 to $48,000, $48,001 to $75,000, $75,001 to $110,000, and above $110,000. This tool looks up the bracket you choose and shows the average for that group.

The multi-year estimate multiplies the yearly net price by the number of years you plan to study: four for a bachelor's degree and two for an associate degree by default. It uses today's prices, assumes you finish on time and does not include tuition increases, loan interest or the income you give up while studying.

How to read your result

The big number is an average. Half the students in that bracket may have paid more and half less, depending on their aid package, whether they lived on campus and how many credits they took. Treat it as a realistic starting point for comparing schools, not a promise.

If the net price barely changes from the lowest to the highest bracket, the school gives little need-based aid and most of its discounts are not tied to income. If it climbs steeply, the school discounts heavily for lower-income families, which is common at well-funded private colleges.

Compare net price, not sticker price, and then compare it with what graduates earn and what they borrow on the college's profile page. Add colleges to the comparison tray to see several schools side by side.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between net price and sticker price?

Sticker price is the published cost of attendance. Net price is that cost minus the grants and scholarships a typical student receives. Net price is the number that matters when you are deciding what a college will really cost your family.

Which income does the bracket use?

The brackets use the total family income reported on the FAFSA by students who received federal aid. If your income is close to a boundary, check the neighboring bracket as well.

Why is my school missing a bracket?

The Department of Education hides a bracket when too few students fall into it, to protect privacy. When that happens, this tool shows the school's all-income average and says so.

Is this the same as the school's own net price calculator?

No. This tool shows averages for past students. A school's official calculator asks about your own finances and gives a personal estimate, and every college that takes federal aid must offer one. When we have the link, we show it next to your result.

Are the results for in-state or out-of-state students?

For public colleges the Scorecard net price is for in-state students. Private colleges charge the same tuition to everyone, so their numbers apply to all students.

Related guides and tools