Education calculators

Net Price Calculator

Updated Oct 8, 2026 By Infinity Calculator
Rate Formulas Sources
How Would You Like to Estimate?
Student & Family Profile
Used to auto-detect dependency status.
Dependent Student
Student Income & Assets
Enter pre-tax (gross) annual figures, plus the federal income tax paid from the tax return.
Gifts, trusts, benefits — not employment.
Savings/investments in student's name (exclude retirement).
Federal income tax on the tax return (with a spouse's, if married). Used for independent students.
Parent / Guardian Income & Assets
If parents are divorced/separated, use only the parent you lived with most in the past 12 months (add a stepparent if remarried). If custody was equal, use the parent who gave the most support.
Parent Income (gross, annual)
Net profit before depreciation.
Federal income tax on the parents' tax return.
Parent Assets
Excludes retirement accounts.
Primary home equity excluded.
Cost & Enrollment Factors
Scholarships, Military & Aid Interests
From outside sources; subtracted from net price.
From the school's aid offer or its own net price calculator, if you have one.
Your Estimated Net Price
Estimated Cost of Attendance$0
− Estimated Grant & Scholarship Aid$0
= Estimated Net Price$0
Aid Package Breakdown
Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Your Remaining Cost Breakdown
Net Price by Enrollment Intensity
Where Your Aid Comes From
Step-by-Step Solution

Introduction

College costs more than just tuition. When you add up housing, books, food, and other fees, the total price can feel overwhelming. But most students do not pay the full sticker price. Grants, scholarships, and other aid can lower what you actually owe. The amount you pay after all that help is called your net price.

This net price calculator gives you a quick estimate of what one year of college may cost you out of pocket. Just enter some basic details about your family's income and assets and the type of college. If you already know your Student Aid Index (SAI) from your FAFSA, you can skip ahead and enter that number directly.

The calculator also estimates veterans education benefits like the Post-9/11 GI Bill. If you or a parent served in the military, select your service details to see how those benefits may reduce your cost. For a deeper look at GI Bill tuition and housing coverage, try our GI Bill Calculator.

Keep in mind that this tool provides an estimate only. Your actual aid package may differ based on your full FAFSA results, enrollment verification, and your school's own policies. For an official determination, contact your school's financial aid office.

How to Use Our Net Price Calculator

Enter details about your finances, family, enrollment plans, and any military service below. The calculator will estimate your cost of attendance, financial aid, and the net price you may need to pay out of pocket.

Estimation Method

Enter Financial Details lets you type in your income and assets so the tool can figure out your Student Aid Index (SAI) for you. Choose I Already Know My SAI if you have your number from your FAFSA Submission Summary.

Student Aid Index (SAI): If you picked the SAI option, type the number shown on your FAFSA Submission Summary. This number can be negative.

Student and Family Profile

Birth Year: Enter the year you were born. This tells the calculator if you are a dependent or independent student.

Marital Status: Pick whether you are single, married, separated, divorced, or widowed.

Spouse Annual Gross Income: If you are married, enter your spouse's total income from work before taxes.

Household Size: Choose the number of people in your household, including yourself.

Student Income and Assets

Student Income From Work: Pick the range that matches the money you earned from jobs in the past year.

Student Other Income: Enter money you got from sources other than a job, such as gifts, trusts, or benefits.

Student Assets: Enter the total savings and investments in your name. Do not count retirement accounts.

Student Income Tax Paid: If you are an independent student, enter the federal income tax on your tax return, including your spouse's if you are married.

Parent or Guardian Income and Assets

This section only applies to dependent students. If you are independent, the calculator will skip it.

Gross Wages / Salary: Enter your parent's total income from work before taxes.

Interest and Dividends: Enter any money your parents earned from bank interest or stock dividends.

Business / Farm Net Income: Enter net profit from any business or farm your parents own.

Real Estate / Rental Income: Enter income your parents earn from rental properties.

Other Parent Income: Enter any other parent income not listed above.

Parent Income Tax Paid: Enter the federal income tax shown on your parents' tax return.

Parents' Marital Status: Pick single parent if the parent you report is unmarried, divorced, separated or widowed. For the maximum Pell Grant, a single parent's income limit is 225% of the poverty guideline, against 175% for other parents.1

Cash and Investments: Enter the total value of your parents' savings, checking, and investment accounts. Do not count retirement accounts.

Business / Farm Equity: Enter the net value of any business or farm your parents own.

Non-Primary Real Estate Equity: Enter the net value of any real estate your parents own other than the home they live in.

Other Parent Assets: Enter any other parent assets not listed above.

Cost and Enrollment Factors

Student Type: Pick whether you are a new first-year student or a transfer, returning, or graduate student. This tool works best for new first-year undergraduates.

Tuition Residency: Pick in-state if you live in the same state as the school. Pick out-of-state or international if you do not.

School Type: Pick a public or a private nonprofit four-year college. In 2025–26, average student budgets were $30,990 for in-state students and $50,920 for out-of-state students at public four-year colleges, and $65,470 at private nonprofit four-year colleges.6 The calculator uses these budgets for your cost of attendance.

Enrollment Status: Pick full-time if you plan to take 12 or more credits. Pick three-quarter time for 9 to 11 credits or half-time for 6 to 8 credits.

Scholarships, Military, and Aid Interests

External Scholarships and Grants: Enter the total dollar amount of any scholarships or grants you expect to receive from outside sources.

Grants From the School or State: Enter grants from the college or your state if you know them, for example from the college's aid offer or its own net price calculator. Every college sets its own grants, so they count only when you enter them.

Military / Veteran Status: Pick yes if you are a veteran, active duty service member, guard or reserve member, or a qualified military spouse or dependent.

Service Status: If you selected yes for military status, pick the option that best describes your connection to military service.

Cumulative Months of Service: Pick the total number of months of active duty service. More months of service means a higher Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit.5

Purple Heart Recipient: Pick yes if you received a Purple Heart. This qualifies you for 100% of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.5

Service-Connected Discharge: Pick yes if you served at least 30 continuous days on active duty and were discharged because of a service-connected disability, which also qualifies you for 100% of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.5

Any Classes Taken In Person: Pick yes if you plan to take at least one class on campus. This sets which GI Bill housing allowance applies: for online-only study it is based on half the national average, up to $1,261 a month from August 1, 2026.5 For a detailed estimate of that housing allowance, see our GI Bill BAH Calculator.

Federal Student Loans: Turn this on if you want to see estimated federal loan amounts. Loans must be repaid with interest.

Your Results

Click Calculate to see your estimated net price, a full aid breakdown, cost of attendance details, and a step-by-step explanation of how your estimate was computed. Use the View scenario dropdown in the results to compare costs at different enrollment levels. Click Reset to clear all fields and start over.

What Is a Net Price Calculator?

A net price calculator helps you find out how much college may really cost you. The net price is the amount you pay after grants, scholarships, and other free aid are subtracted from the total cost of attendance. It is not the sticker price you see on a school's website. It is the actual amount you and your family would need to cover.

How Net Price Is Calculated

The calculator starts with the cost of attendance (COA), which includes tuition, housing, food, books, and other living expenses. Then it adds up your gift aid, money you do not have to pay back: your estimated Pell Grant, any VA education benefits, and the school, state and outside grants you enter. The difference between the COA and your total gift aid is your estimated net price.

What Is the Student Aid Index (SAI)?

The Student Aid Index, or SAI, is a number that comes from your FAFSA application. It replaced the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC) starting with the 2024–25 aid year. The SAI measures your family's financial strength. A lower SAI means you may qualify for more need-based aid. The SAI can even be a negative number, and a student with an SAI of zero or less is eligible for the maximum Pell Grant.1

Veterans and Military Benefits

If you are a veteran, active duty service member, or a qualifying spouse or dependent, you may be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This benefit can cover part or all of your tuition and fees. At a public school it pays up to the in-state rate, and at a private school it pays the net tuition and mandatory fees up to $30,908.34.5 It can also include a monthly housing allowance, which is lower for students taking only online classes.5 The percentage of the benefit you receive depends on your total months of active duty service. Purple Heart recipients, and those discharged for a service-connected disability after at least 30 continuous days of active duty, qualify for 100% of the benefit.5 This calculator gives you a rough estimate of those benefits, but only the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can make an official determination.

Important Things to Know

This tool gives an estimate only. Your actual financial aid package may be different. Aid amounts change each year, and every school sets its own rules for institutional grants and scholarships. Always fill out the FAFSA and contact the school's financial aid office for the most accurate numbers. The earlier you apply, the better your chances of receiving the most aid available to you.

Formulas used

Cost of Attendance (COA)
\text{COA} = (\text{Tuition} \times f) + \text{Housing} + (\text{Books} \times f) + \text{Personal} + \text{Transportation}
Student Aid Index (SAI) — Dependent Student 1
\text{SAI} = \max\!\left(-\text{1,500},\; \text{Assess}\bigl(I_p - T_p - \text{FICA}_p - \text{EEA} - \text{IPA}(h) + 0.12\,A_p\bigr) + 0.50\,\max(0,\,I_s - \text{FICA}_s - \text{11,770}) + 0.20\,A_s\right),\quad \text{EEA} = \min(35\% \times \text{earnings},\ \text{5,000})
Income Protection Allowance (IPA) — Dependent / Independent 1
\text{IPA}_{\text{dep}}(h) = \text{29,190}\,(h{=}2),\ \text{36,330}\,(3),\ \text{44,880}\,(4),\ \text{52,950}\,(5),\ \text{61,930}\,(6),\ +\text{6,990 each}\qquad \text{IPA}_{\text{ind}} = \text{18,310 (single)},\ \text{29,350 (married, no dependents)}
Financial Need 3
\text{Need} = \max\!\left(0,\;\text{COA} - \max(0,\,\text{SAI})\right)
Federal Pell Grant Estimate 2
\text{Pell} = \min\!\bigl(P \times f,\;\text{COA}\bigr),\quad P = \begin{cases} \text{7,395} & \text{maximum-Pell test} \\ \text{7,395} - \text{SAI (rounded to the nearest 5)} & \text{if at least } \text{740} \\ \text{740} & \text{minimum-Pell test and SAI} < \text{14,790} \end{cases}
Estimated Net Price
\text{Net Price} = \max\!\bigl(0,\;\text{COA} - (\text{Pell} + \text{State} + \text{Institutional} + \text{Merit} + \text{VA} + \text{External})\bigr)

Frequently asked questions

What is the net price of college?

The net price is the amount you actually pay for one year of college after all grants and scholarships are subtracted from the total cost of attendance. It is lower than the sticker price because it accounts for free aid you do not have to pay back.

What is the difference between net price and sticker price?

The sticker price is the full published cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, food, and fees. The net price is what you owe after grants, scholarships, and other gift aid are taken away. Most students pay less than the sticker price.

What is the Student Aid Index and how does it affect my estimate?

The Student Aid Index, or SAI, is a number from your FAFSA that shows how much your family can contribute toward college. A lower SAI means you may get more need-based aid. A student with an SAI of zero or less is eligible for the maximum Pell Grant.1 This calculator uses the SAI to figure out your estimated financial need.

What is the difference between the SAI and the old EFC?

The SAI replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) starting with the 2024–25 FAFSA. They serve the same purpose, but the SAI can go below zero, which the EFC could not. If your FAFSA was filed for the 2024–25 aid year or later, you have an SAI, not an EFC.

Where do I find my SAI number?

Your SAI is shown on your FAFSA Submission Summary. You receive this document after you submit your FAFSA. You can view it by logging into your account at studentaid.gov.

Should I enter financial details or use my SAI directly?

If you have already filed your FAFSA and know your SAI, choose I Already Know My SAI for a faster and more accurate estimate. If you have not filed yet, choose Enter Financial Details and the calculator will estimate your SAI for you.

What counts as a dependent student versus an independent student?

The calculator uses your birth year to decide. For 2026–27, a student born before January 1, 2003 is independent.4 Independent students do not need to report parent income or assets on the FAFSA. Being married, a graduate student, a veteran or on active duty, or having dependents of your own can also make you independent, but this tool only checks age.

Does net price include student loans?

No. The net price only subtracts grants and scholarships, which are free money you do not repay. Student loans are shown separately in the results because they must be paid back.

What is included in the cost of attendance?

The cost of attendance includes tuition and fees, housing and food, books and supplies, personal expenses, and transportation. This calculator uses the College Board's 2025–26 average student budgets for public and private nonprofit four-year colleges, with tuition depending on residency and enrollment level.

What is the Pell Grant and do I qualify?

The Pell Grant is a federal grant for students with financial need. It does not have to be repaid. Your eligibility and amount depend on your SAI, cost of attendance, and enrollment status. For the 2026–27 year, the maximum Pell Grant is $7,395 and the minimum is $740.2 Students with an SAI at or below zero are eligible for the full amount.1

What is the difference between a grant and a scholarship?

Both are free money that does not need to be repaid. Grants are usually based on financial need. Scholarships are often based on merit, like grades or test scores, though some are also need-based. Both reduce your net price.

What is institutional aid?

Institutional aid is a grant or scholarship given directly by the college. Schools use their own funds and their own rules to decide how much to award. This calculator estimates it based on your remaining financial need after federal and state aid.

How does the Post-9/11 GI Bill affect my net price?

The Post-9/11 GI Bill can cover part or all of your tuition and fees. If you take classes in person, it may also provide a monthly housing allowance. The percentage you receive depends on your total months of active duty service. This calculator estimates that benefit and subtracts it from your cost of attendance.

How do months of military service change my GI Bill benefit?

More months of active duty service means a higher percentage of the full GI Bill benefit. With at least 36 months of active duty, you get 100%. Shorter service earns 90% (30 to 35 months), 80% (24 to 29 months), 70% (18 to 23 months), 60% (6 to 17 months) or 50% (90 days to 5 months).5 Purple Heart recipients, and those discharged for a service-connected disability after at least 30 continuous days of active duty, qualify for 100%.5

Do I get a housing allowance if I only take online classes?

Yes, but it is smaller. For online-only study, VA bases the housing allowance on half the national average, up to $1,261 a month from August 1, 2026.5 Select No for the in-person classes question and the calculator uses that rate.

What is Federal Work-Study?

Federal Work-Study is a program that gives you a part-time job, often on campus, to help pay for school. It is not a grant. You earn the money by working. Turning it on in the calculator shows an estimated amount but does not change your net price.

Should I include retirement accounts in my assets?

No. Do not include 401(k), IRA, or other retirement accounts in the student or parent asset fields. The FAFSA does not count retirement savings as assets, and neither does this calculator.

How does enrollment status affect my net price?

Enrolling less than full-time reduces both your costs and your aid. Tuition, books, and certain grants like the Pell Grant are scaled down for three-quarter time and half-time enrollment.2 Use the View scenario dropdown in the results to compare all three levels side by side.

What should I do if my parents are divorced or separated?

Use the income and assets of the parent who provided more than 50% of your financial support during the last 12 months, which may not be the parent you lived with. If neither parent did, use the parent with the greater income and assets.4 If that parent has remarried, include the stepparent's information as well.

Is this estimate the same as an official financial aid offer?

No. This is an estimate only. Your actual aid package may be different. Aid amounts depend on your full FAFSA results, your school's own policies, available funding, and enrollment verification. Always file the FAFSA and check with the school's financial aid office for an official number.

How often should I recalculate my net price?

Recalculate any time your financial situation changes. Changes in income, family size, assets, enrollment level, or military status can all affect your estimate. Aid amounts also change from year to year, so check before each academic year.

What does a negative SAI mean?

A negative SAI means your family has very high financial need. A student with an SAI of zero or less is eligible for the maximum Pell Grant.1 The SAI can go as low as negative $1,500 under current FAFSA rules.

Does the number of family members in college change my aid?

Not for federal aid. The SAI formula does not divide the parents' contribution by the number of family members in college, so this calculator does not either. Some colleges still consider siblings in college when they award their own aid.

Sources

  1. 2026–27 Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide. U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid. 2025;Version 1.1; Formula A-C and Tables A2-A5, B3, C2-C6. Accessed September 29, 2026.
  2. 2026–27 Federal Pell Grant Maximum and Minimum Award Amounts. U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid. 2026;Dear Colleague Letter. Accessed September 29, 2026.
  3. Packaging Aid. 2026-2027 Federal Student Aid Handbook. U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid. Vol. 3, Ch. 3, Treatment of Negative SAIs. Accessed September 29, 2026.
  4. Filling Out the FAFSA Form. 2026-2027 Federal Student Aid Handbook. U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid. Application and Verification Guide, Ch. 2 (Dependency Status; Contributors). Accessed September 29, 2026.
  5. Post-9/11 GI Bill Rates. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Rates effective August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027. Accessed September 29, 2026.
  6. Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2025. College Board. 2025;Table CP-1; Figure CP-1. Accessed October 8, 2026.

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