How much money can you save with College Price Check?

What college are you looking at?

How we calculate your savings estimate

The full four-year price is the college's published annual cost of attendance — tuition and fees, housing, food, books, and other expenses — as reported to the U.S. Department of Education through the College Scorecard, multiplied by four years. For public colleges, this reflects in-state costs.

The price you can expect to pay as a member is the Scorecard's average annual net price for students in your household income range at that college — the published cost of attendance minus the average grant and scholarship aid those students receive — multiplied by four years. It is calculated for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal financial aid; for public colleges it reflects in-state students.

Your estimated savings is the difference between the two.

These figures are estimates based on federal averages. Your actual cost depends on your specific financial aid offer, the choices you make about housing and other expenses, and whether you complete your degree in four years. Published prices also rise over time. Savings are illustrative and not a guarantee.

How we determine if you have a great price, a fair price, or are overpaying

We ask you to identify your household income bracket. We then compare your financial aid offer to net price data published by the U.S. Department of Education through the College Scorecard — the same federal dataset used by institutions to report financial aid outcomes.

The Scorecard reports average net price by five income categories: $0–$30,000; $30,001–$48,000; $48,001–$75,000; $75,001–$110,000; and $110,001 or more. Net price is defined as average total cost of attendance — including tuition and fees, books and supplies, and living expenses — minus the average grant and scholarship aid received. It is calculated for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates who receive Title IV federal financial aid. For public institutions, figures reflect in-state students only.

We match your income bracket to the reported net price for your school and apply the following thresholds:

Great price — Your offer is more than 15% below the reported net price for your income bracket. You are paying meaningfully less than what students in your situation typically pay at this school.

Fair price — Your offer is within 15% of the reported net price for your income bracket, above or below. Your offer is in line with what students in your situation typically pay.

Overpaying — Your offer exceeds the reported net price for your income bracket by more than 15%. You may have room to negotiate or appeal.

College Scorecard data is updated annually. Where 2026–27 figures are not yet available, we use the most recently published data. Results reflect federal averages and may not account for every institution's specific aid structure. Individual offers vary.

How we identified savings opportunities

Our team reviewed the published cost of attendance at 32 colleges and universities where we have direct experience advising students. For each school, we identified line items in the bill that families are often charged by default — but that many don't realize they have options around. All figures reflect the most current published rates available as of May 2026, using 2026–27 data where available and 2025–26 data where not.

We looked at specific categories within the cost of attendance where schools publish multiple options. Where a school presented a clear default, we calculated the difference between that default and a lower-cost alternative. Where no default was identifiable, we identified a mid-tier option and compared it to a lower-cost alternative within the same published offerings — all without changing enrollment, financial aid, or academic plans.

$4,400 is the average savings we identified across all 32 schools — about $17,600 over a four-year degree. The mean ($4,493) and median ($4,403) were within $100 of each other, which tells us the number isn't being pulled up by a few unusual schools — it holds across the full range.

This figure is based on research analysis of published data, not outcomes from past clients. What's available to your family will depend on your specific school, what's already been selected, and your eligibility for certain adjustments. Results vary.

Schools included in this analysis: California Lutheran University · Cal Poly San Luis Obispo · Cal State East Bay · Cal State Fullerton · Cal State LA · Cal State Long Beach · Cal State Monterey Bay · Harvard University · Howard University · Johns Hopkins University · New York University · Rochester Institute of Technology · Sacramento State University · San Diego State University · San Jose State University · Santa Clara University · San Francisco State University · Sonoma State University · St. Mary's College of California · Stanford University · UC Berkeley · UC Davis · UC Irvine · UC Merced · UC Riverside · UC San Diego · UC Santa Barbara · UC Santa Cruz · UCLA · University of Oklahoma · University of Oregon · University of San Francisco

College Price Check provides educational information to help you understand your financial aid letter. We are not financial advisors and do not provide financial, legal, or tax advice. Always review decisions with your school's financial aid office.

Not affiliated with any college, university, or government agency. Your uploaded documents are kept private and never shared.