All Affordability & Cost of College Articles

how much does college cost
affordability & college cost

Don’t Wait to Figure Out The Cost of College

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022
As recently as 3 or 4 years ago, financial aid had a season. It was limited and finite, but much like Christmas music that begins to play before Thanksgiving or Valentine’s Day decorations that spring up January 2nd, financial aid season has also been affected by seasonal “creep”. It used to be that you couldn’t …
Cornell University campus building on a sunny day.
affordability & college cost

These 10 “expensive” colleges have free college tuition for middle-class families

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on February 10, 2026
Key takeaways: Some colleges offer free tuition or full financial aid packages to families who make below certain incomes. Harvard, Caltech, and MIT waive tuition costs for students who make less than $200,000. Eligible students need to demonstrate financial need by completing the FAFSA and other requested aid applications. Did you know that some colleges …
Students walking at the University of Maryland.
affordability & college cost

The Costs of Transferring Colleges

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022
Students can transfer schools for all sorts of reasons –another college has a better program, they weren’t clicking with the environment, etc.– but whatever the cause, all transfer students face similar challenges with their move. Whether it’s financial or academic — what’s the real cost of transferring colleges? The benefits of transferring colleges: Given the …
Graphic shows that a college's net price is calculated by subtracting gift aid - scholarships and grants - from the total stick price. College costs add up.
affordability & college cost

College Costs: Net Price vs. Sticker Price

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022
Someone once accurately explained college pricing and financial aid with this anecdote: You live in the Northeast quadrant of the United States. The temperature outside could be displayed on one hand on any given day in January. Your little brother just dumped a quart of yellow paint on your winter coat—meaning you need to buy …
college cost per year
affordability & college cost

College Costs: The 4 Parts of College Costs

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022
How much does college cost? This seems like it should be a reasonably simple question with a straight forward answer. However, that is not nearly the case. In fact, there are at least 4 answers to this question about college costs. Understanding them is important in being a good consumer. 1. Tuition and Fees The …
affordability & college cost

The Price of State Colleges vs. Private Colleges

By William StaibLast updated on December 22, 2022
One of the biggest myths for high school students and their families is that state schools are always cheaper — generally a lot cheaper — than comparable smaller, private colleges. Is it true? Not really. In fact, that’s one of the main reasons we created MyCollegePrice in the first place. In many cases, attending a …
affordability & college cost

The True Price of Private Colleges: Why Sticker Price Doesn’t Matter

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
One of the most important reasons we created MyCollegePrice was to help people discover new affordable options for college. Students might discover new schools that they hadn’t even heard of simply by looking at their list of college matches. But, students and their families may also be overlooking great potential colleges that they know about but think are …

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