Net Price Calculator

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College Net Price Calculator

Estimated Costs (Sticker Price)

Financial Aid (Gift Aid)

Understanding the Net Price of College

The "sticker price" of a university is rarely what families actually pay. The Net Price Calculator helps prospective students estimate the true cost of attendance after subtracting gift aid like grants and scholarships.

The Net Price Formula

Net Price = Total Cost of Attendance (COA) – Total Gift Aid

Total Gift Aid consists of money that does not need to be repaid. This excludes student loans and work-study programs, as those are either debt or earned income.

Why This Metric Matters More Than Tuition

Focusing only on tuition can be misleading. A private university with a $60,000 sticker price might offer $40,000 in scholarships, resulting in a net price of $20,000. Conversely, a public university with a $25,000 sticker price and no aid would actually be more expensive for the student.

Net Price Example Calculation

Imagine a student planning to attend University A:

  • Sticker Price: $45,000 (Tuition, Room, Board, Books)
  • Pell Grant: $6,000
  • University Merit Scholarship: $15,000
  • Local Community Grant: $1,000

In this scenario, the Total Gift Aid is $22,000. The Net Price is $45,000 – $22,000 = $23,000.

How to Lower Your Net Price

  1. Apply for FAFSA early: Many grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
  2. Target schools where you are in the top 25%: Universities often offer higher merit scholarships to students whose stats (GPA/SAT) are above their average.
  3. Search for private scholarships: Look for niche scholarships based on your background, hobbies, or community service.
function calculateNetPrice() { // Inputs var tuition = parseFloat(document.getElementById('tuition').value) || 0; var roomBoard = parseFloat(document.getElementById('roomBoard').value) || 0; var books = parseFloat(document.getElementById('books').value) || 0; var personal = parseFloat(document.getElementById('personal').value) || 0; var grants = parseFloat(document.getElementById('grants').value) || 0; var scholarships = parseFloat(document.getElementById('scholarships').value) || 0; var otherAid = parseFloat(document.getElementById('otherAid').value) || 0; // Logic var totalCOA = tuition + roomBoard + books + personal; var totalGiftAid = grants + scholarships + otherAid; var netPrice = totalCOA – totalGiftAid; // Display var resultDiv = document.getElementById('netPriceResult'); resultDiv.style.display = 'block'; resultDiv.style.backgroundColor = '#f8f9fa'; resultDiv.style.border = '2px solid #2ecc71'; var html = '

Your Estimation Results

'; html += '
Total Cost of Attendance (COA):$' + totalCOA.toLocaleString() + '
'; html += '
Total Gift Aid:– $' + totalGiftAid.toLocaleString() + '
'; html += '
'; html += '
Estimated Net Price:$' + netPrice.toLocaleString() + '
'; if (netPrice < 0) { html += '*Note: Your gift aid exceeds the total cost, suggesting a potential refund for living expenses.'; } resultDiv.innerHTML = html; }

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