Net Price Estimator
Subtract grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study from the cost of attendance to see the net price, your out-of-pocket total, and the gap left after your family contribution.
Read an aid letter honestly
Financial-aid award letters are notoriously hard to compare, because they often list loans right next to grants and lead with a low-looking number. Separating gift aid from self-help aid — and pulling out the true net price and the funding gap — lets you compare two offers on the same terms and see which school actually costs less once the free money is counted.
Start from the sticker figure in the College Cost Estimator, and if the gap means borrowing, run the numbers through the Student Loan Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between net price and out-of-pocket cost?
Net price is the cost of attendance minus 'gift aid' — grants and scholarships you never repay. It is the number that best reflects what a school truly costs you. Out-of-pocket cost goes further and also subtracts loans and work-study, so it shows the cash you need to cover after all aid is applied. The two differ because loans lower today's cash need but are money you repay with interest, so they don't reduce the real cost the way gift aid does.
Why are loans kept separate from grants and scholarships?
Because they are fundamentally different. Grants and scholarships are gift aid — free money that lowers the price of the degree. Loans and work-study are 'self-help' aid: a loan just shifts the cost to your future self, with interest, and work-study is money you earn by working. Lumping them together makes a school look more affordable than it is. Separating gift aid from self-help aid is the key to comparing award letters honestly.
What is the funding gap?
The funding gap is the net price left after your expected family contribution — the amount your family is estimated to be able to pay from savings and income. It represents what still needs to be covered by loans, additional scholarships, or other means. A large gap is a signal to look harder for scholarships, compare a lower-net-price school, or understand how much borrowing a given choice implies before committing.
Is this financial advice?
No. This is an educational estimate built from the aid figures you enter. It is not an official award, and real aid packages depend on the FAFSA, the CSS Profile, each school's own formula, and funds that can change year to year. Use it to compare offers and understand the structure of an aid package, and confirm the actual numbers with each school's financial-aid office.
Estimates only, based on the aid figures you enter; not an official award. Not financial advice — confirm the numbers with each school’s financial-aid office.