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The sticker price on a college's website is almost never what your family pays. A Net Price Calculator estimates your real, personalized cost in about 15 minutes — and it can completely reorder which schools are affordable. Here is how to use one well.
Sticker price is almost never what you pay
The "cost of attendance" a college advertises is the list price. After grants and scholarships, most families pay far less — sometimes a private school with a $60,000 sticker costs a low-income family less than a state school. You cannot know until you run the numbers.
Every college is required to have one
Federal law requires every college that takes federal aid to post a Net Price Calculator (NPC) on its website. Search "[college name] net price calculator" — it is usually under Admissions or Financial Aid.
It estimates YOUR price, not the average
A good NPC asks about your family income, assets, household size, and your grades, then estimates the grants and scholarships you would likely receive — giving a personalized net price, not a sticker.
You don't need exact numbers — good estimates give a useful result. The calculator is anonymous and does not send anything to the college.
1. Run it for every school on your list
Net price varies wildly between schools for the same family. Run the NPC for all of them — reaches, matches, and safeties — before you fall in love with any one campus.
2. Look for the grant total, not just the bottom line
The most useful number is total grants and scholarships (money you don't repay). Two schools with the same net price can differ hugely if one fills the gap with grants and the other with loans.
3. Note whether loans and work-study are baked in
Some calculators subtract loans and work-study to make the "net price" look smaller. Those are not gifts — loans are borrowed, work-study is earned. Add them back to see the true grant aid.
4. Save a screenshot of each result
Keep a simple comparison: school, estimated net price, estimated grants, whether loans were included. This becomes your apples-to-apples shortlist before applications even open.
Merit scholarships may not be fully captured
Many NPCs estimate need-based aid well but under-count competitive merit awards. If your grades are strong, the real offer could be better than the estimate — but never count on it.
Divorced or separated parents complicate it
Schools that require the CSS Profile often count both parents' income. A simple NPC may only ask about one household, so the estimate can be too low. Read the school's policy.
It is an estimate, not an offer
The only binding number is the official financial aid offer after you apply and file the FAFSA. Treat the NPC as a planning tool to build a smart list, not a promise.
Once you have estimates, turn them into a plan: build your college list, decode the real offers with the aid offer guide, and look up any confusing terms in the glossary.