What does your college really cost?

How these figures are measured

• Net price is what a year cost (tuition, fees, housing, food, books and other costs) minus the average grant and scholarship aid. Loans are not subtracted, because they have to be repaid. It counts first-time, full-time undergraduates who received federal aid; at public colleges, only those paying in-state tuition. Where grants more than cover the cost, the figure is below zero.
• Debt is the median federal loan debt of graduates who borrowed. Private loans and parents' PLUS loans are not included.
• Earnings are the median of former students who received federal aid, whether or not they graduated, and who were working and not in school, about 10 years after they started, adjusted for inflation.
• The typical college is the median of the colleges on each list: colleges that mainly award bachelor's degrees and report the figure. The Department of Education withholds figures for very small groups of students. Debt and earnings are often reported for a whole college system, so branch campuses can share them.

Sources and dates

• What does your college cost after grants? U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Public domain (U.S. government work)), data as of June 30, 2025.
• What does your college cost a family earning under $30,000? U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Public domain (U.S. government work)), data as of June 30, 2025.
• How much do graduates of your college owe in student loans? U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Public domain (U.S. government work)), data as of September 30, 2025.
• How much do students from your college earn 10 years later? U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Public domain (U.S. government work)), data as of December 31, 2023.