Net Price Calculators
If you are willing to pay the full price for college, you could attend any college that accepts you. But what if you could pay less and receive the same value? This is called "net price." BigFuture defines net price as "the difference between the “sticker” price (full cost) to attend a specific college, minus any grants and scholarships for which students may be eligible. Sticker price includes direct charges (tuition and fees, room and board) and indirect costs (books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses)." Check out these calculators and use the one you like best.
ARE YOU READY TO GET SOME PAYBACK?
Since you are getting ready to attend college, you need to consider the cost (budgeting, meals, housing, hobbies, entertainment, life away from home...). Don't become one of the students who was not able to finish.
Next Gen Personal Finance worked with McKinney to create Payback, a free online resource that helps college-bound students learn about the cost of college and how to minimize student debt. You'll make decisions for each year of college that includes deciding the type of college, furnishing your dorm, and deciding if you'll rent or buy text books. Use this worksheet and take no longer than 20 minutes to complete. College counselors and career teachers can use NGPFs free lesson plans and discussion guides.
NET PRICE CALCULATORS
TuitionTracker is a tool that shows you what students really pay for college based on their income. They also have a link to the net price calculator on their website.
The College Scorecard shares a college’s affordability and value so you can make informed decisions about which college to attend.
FastWeb has a list of financial aid calculators for savings, loans, trust funds, budgeting, and loan defaults.
Just like when you're looking for the value a car, the College Value calculator uses the student's net price (cost), the graduation rate, and the loan default rate to identify if the school is a good deal. (Uses values from the College Scorecard)
The College Abacus is another calculator that compares the actual cost (net price) of colleges after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the total cost of education.
COLLEGE COST ESTIMATOR (not net price)
The cost of college can be a barrier for low- and middle-income families. MyinTuition might be a solution! Fifteen highly selective colleges including Columbia, Dartmouth, Rice, Virginia, and Wellesley are moving away from net-price calculators to a new college cost estimator. Answer six basic questions in three minutes and you'll have an estimate to the cost of college. It's very simple to use.
ARE YOU READY TO GET SOME PAYBACK?
Since you are getting ready to attend college, you need to consider the cost (budgeting, meals, housing, hobbies, entertainment, life away from home...). Don't become one of the students who was not able to finish.
Next Gen Personal Finance worked with McKinney to create Payback, a free online resource that helps college-bound students learn about the cost of college and how to minimize student debt. You'll make decisions for each year of college that includes deciding the type of college, furnishing your dorm, and deciding if you'll rent or buy text books. Use this worksheet and take no longer than 20 minutes to complete. College counselors and career teachers can use NGPFs free lesson plans and discussion guides.
NET PRICE CALCULATORS
TuitionTracker is a tool that shows you what students really pay for college based on their income. They also have a link to the net price calculator on their website.
The College Scorecard shares a college’s affordability and value so you can make informed decisions about which college to attend.
FastWeb has a list of financial aid calculators for savings, loans, trust funds, budgeting, and loan defaults.
Just like when you're looking for the value a car, the College Value calculator uses the student's net price (cost), the graduation rate, and the loan default rate to identify if the school is a good deal. (Uses values from the College Scorecard)
The College Abacus is another calculator that compares the actual cost (net price) of colleges after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the total cost of education.
COLLEGE COST ESTIMATOR (not net price)
The cost of college can be a barrier for low- and middle-income families. MyinTuition might be a solution! Fifteen highly selective colleges including Columbia, Dartmouth, Rice, Virginia, and Wellesley are moving away from net-price calculators to a new college cost estimator. Answer six basic questions in three minutes and you'll have an estimate to the cost of college. It's very simple to use.
Comparing both infographics, notice the difference in each category over three years!
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Infographics: Bigfuture (College Board)
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