Since October 29, 2011, almost all U.S. colleges and universities are required to have “net price calculators” on their websites. These online tools can make it much easier for prospective students and their families to look past often scary “sticker prices” and start figuring out which colleges they might be able to afford.
Net price calculators provide early, individualized estimates of what a specific college will cost after grants and scholarships. The “net price” is what students and their families would have to earn, save, or borrow to go to that school. This early information about college costs and financial aid can help students discover that their dream school may be more (or less) affordable than they thought – before they have to decide where to apply.
Recent Update
Three Bipartisan Bills Would Ensure Students Have Key Information to Help Make Decisions about Where to Go to College and How to Pay for It
Statement of Lindsay Ahlman on three bipartisan bills that would ensure students have key information to help them make decisions about where to go to college and how to pay for it.
Featured Report
Giving Students the Upper Hand: Improving Net Price Calculators to Aid Michigan’s Students and Families in Making College Decisions
Report finds that college Net Price Calculators in Michigan are not consistently easy for students to find, use, or compare, and makes recommendations for how the federal government, states, and colleges can improve these college cost tools.
