College costs
The price a college advertises and the price most students pay can be far apart. Knowing the difference helps you compare colleges fairly and avoid ruling out a college by its published price alone.
Sticker price is the published cost, usually tuition and fees, and often room and board too. Net price is what a student pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the full cost of attendance. Loans are not subtracted, because you have to repay them.
The full cost of attendance also includes books, supplies, transportation and personal expenses, so it is higher than tuition plus room and board.
Many colleges give grants and scholarships, and the amount depends on need, merit or both. Private colleges often have a high sticker price and large discounts. Public colleges usually charge residents much less than non-residents, and the same college can have very different net prices for students from different income backgrounds.
For that reason a published price can be a poor guide. A college that looks out of reach on paper may cost less than a cheaper-looking option once aid is included, and the reverse can be true.
Federal rules require colleges to post a net price calculator on their websites. You enter information about your household and plans, and it estimates the aid you might receive. Results are estimates and not offers, but they are far closer to your real cost than the sticker price. Use the calculator for every college on your list.
Then complete the FAFSA, since many aid offers depend on it. Our FAFSA guide covers the basics, and the official site is studentaid.gov.
The College Scorecard publishes an average net price for each college, based on students who received federal aid. It is a useful starting point, and the Scorecard also splits it by family income band. It is still an average of past students, and it will not match your offer. Our college profiles show it with the reporting period.
To see how net prices compare across colleges, look at the lowest net price list and, for each state, the college costs pages.
When offers arrive, put them side by side. Separate grants and scholarships, which you keep, from loans and work-study, which you do not. Check whether each award repeats in later years. Then compare the amount you would pay for the first year across colleges. If a letter is unclear, ask the financial aid office to explain it.
Not exactly. It is an estimate based on aid. Your own offer depends on your finances, the college and the year.
No. Net price subtracts grants and scholarships, not loans, since loans must be repaid.
On the college's own website, usually in the financial aid or admissions section. Federal rules require one.
Last reviewed 2026-10-14. This guide is general information, not advice for your situation. Test and admissions policies change, so check the official College Board, ACT or college page for the current rule.
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