Financial aid, work and parental support are the three major sources of financial support for undergraduates in both groups. Financial aid was received by 79 percent of the full-time, first-year undergraduates with higher sticker prices compared with 69 percent of those with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities. Part of the difference can be accounted for by the difference in probability of receiving federally provided financial aid. Sixty-one percent of the full-time, first-year undergraduates with higher sticker prices received federal financial aid compared with 48 percent of those with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities.

Full-time, first-year undergraduates with higher sticker prices were more likely to have received grants, loans, or work-study than were those with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities. The most striking difference is noted for college work-study, which one-third of the full-time, first-year undergraduates with higher sticker prices received, compared with 7 percent of those with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities.

The majority of full-time, first-year undergraduates in both groups worked while they attended school. Full-time, first-year undergraduates with higher sticker prices were more likely to work one to 14 hours a week, and those with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities were more likely to work 15 hours or more per week. Thirty-seven percent of those with higher sticker prices worked between one and 14 hours per week during the school year compared with 18 percent of those with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities. One-quarter of the full-time, first-year undergraduates with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities worked 15 to 29 hours compared with 16 percent of those with higher sticker prices. Ten percent of the full-time, first-year undergraduates with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities worked 30 hours or more compared with 7 percent of those with higher sticker prices.

Parents also provided financial support. Ninety-two percent of the full-time, first-year undergraduates with higher sticker prices received parental help compared with 80 percent of those with sticker prices below $12,000 in public research universities.