College Net-Cost Comparison Tool

The sticker price rarely tells you what a school actually costs. Compare two or three schools by net price, not sticker price, see your real borrowing, monthly payments, and whether your aid actually covers the cost.

1Loan Terms

These apply across all schools below. Federal and Parent PLUS rates are set by the government each year; check studentaid.gov for the current rate. Private loan rates vary by lender and credit.

%
Years; standard plan default
%
Years
%
Years

This simplifies interest accrual: it assumes full loan balances start amortizing at graduation, and doesn't account for interest that accrues on unsubsidized, PLUS, or private loans while you're still in school. Real payoff amounts will typically be somewhat higher.

2Your Schools

Add two or three schools to compare. Leave anything blank or at $0 if it doesn't apply.

Cost of Attendance (Year 1)
$
$
$
$
$
Financial Aid (Year 1)
$
Free aid: federal, state, or institutional
$
Free aid: merit, private, or institutional
$
Earned aid: money you work for, not guaranteed
$
Cash from savings or current income, not aid, but covers cost
$
$
Borrowed by, and repaid by, the parent, not the student
$
Assumptions
%
Years
%
Optional; this school's published graduation rate, shown as context, not used in the dollar math
$
Used only to compare debt against expected income
Cost of Attendance (Year 1)
$
$
$
$
$
Financial Aid (Year 1)
$
Free aid: federal, state, or institutional
$
Free aid: merit, private, or institutional
$
Earned aid: money you work for, not guaranteed
$
Cash from savings or current income, not aid, but covers cost
$
$
Borrowed by, and repaid by, the parent, not the student
$
Assumptions
%
Years
%
Optional; this school's published graduation rate, shown as context, not used in the dollar math
$
Used only to compare debt against expected income

This tool provides general estimates for educational purposes only and isn't personalized financial or admissions advice. Always confirm exact figures on your official aid offer. Read our full disclaimer →

Your Comparison

Enter at least two schools above to see your comparison.

Side-by-Side Numbers

Net price is Cost of Attendance minus grants and scholarships only. Loans and work-study don't reduce net price, they're ways to cover it.

Year-by-Year Net Price

How each school's net price grows over your expected time to completion, at your assumed annual increase.