Net price vs. sticker price: what college really costs
A college's sticker price, its published cost of attendance, includes tuition, fees, housing, food, books, and other expenses. Few families pay it. The number that matters is the net price: cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Why the two numbers are so different
Colleges discount heavily through grants and scholarships. A private college with a $70,000 sticker price may cost a middle-income family far less after aid, sometimes less than a public university. Comparing sticker prices can rule out schools that would actually be affordable.
What counts, and what does not
- Counts: grants and scholarships from the college, the state, and the federal government. You do not repay them.
- Does not count: loans and work-study. They help pay the bill, but they are not a discount.
How to estimate net price
- Federal data. Colleges report the average net price paid by families in five income ranges to the U.S. Department of Education.
- Net Price Calculators. Every college is required to offer one on its website. It gives the most personalized estimate.
- Merit aid. Automatic scholarships can lower the price further for students who qualify.
MeritFit combines these: it starts from what families in your income range paid at each school, subtracts the automatic merit and state aid your student qualifies for, and links to each school's Net Price Calculator so you can confirm.
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