The average total cost of attendance in 2010–11 for first-time, full-time students living on campus and paying in-state tuition was $20,100 at public 4-year institutions and $39,800 at private nonprofit 4-year institutions.
The total cost of attending a postsecondary institution is the sum of published tuition and required fees, books and supplies, and the average for room, board and other expenses. In 2010–11, the total cost of attendance differed by institution level and control and by student living arrangements. The average total cost of attendance for first-time, full-time students living on campus and paying in-state tuition was $20,100 at public 4-year institutions and $39,800 at private nonprofit 4-year institutions (see table A-40-1). The lowest total costs were for students living with family and paying in-state tuition at public 2-year institutions ($7,900) and at public 4-year institutions ($12,600).
Out of these total costs, the cost of books and supplies and of room and board differed by institution level and control and student living arrangements. The cost of books and supplies ranged from $800 at private for-profit 4-year institutions to $1,500 at private for-profit 2-year institutions. The cost of room and board ranged from $5,400 for first-time, full-time students living on campus and paying in-state tuition at 2-year public institutions to $9,500 for first-time, full-time students living on campus at private nonprofit 4-year institutions.
Many students and their families do not pay the full price of attendance because they receive financial aid to help cover their expenses. The primary types of financial aid are grants, which do not have to be repaid, and loans, which must be repaid. Grants, including scholarships, may be awarded on the basis of financial need, merit, or both, and may include tuition aid from employers. In 2009–10, first-time, full-time students who received aid received an average of $8,400 at 4-year institutions and $4,400 at 2-year institutions (see table A-40-2).
The average amount of aid received differed by income level; in general, the lower the income, the greater the total amount of aid received. In 2009–10, across all 4-year institutions, for first-time, full-time students receiving aid, the average amount of aid received ranged from a low of $900 for those with incomes above $110,000 at private for-profit institutions to $18,400 at private nonprofit institutions for those with incomes ranging from $30,001 to $48,000. The overall average amount of aid received across all 4-year institutions was $8,400 in 2009–10.
The net price is an estimate of the cash outlay, including loans that students and their families need to pay in a given year to cover educational expenses. It is calculated here as the total cost of attendance minus grants (which decrease the price). Tax credits and deductions are excluded from the calculation of net price. In 4-year institutions, average net price in 2009–10 for first-time, full-time students receiving aid ranged from $7,900 for those with incomes in the $0 to $30,000 range at public institutions to $33,200 at private for-profit institutions for those with incomes above $110,001. For first-time, full-time students receiving aid at 2-year institutions, the lowest average net price was $5,500 for those with incomes in the $0 to $30,000 range at public institutions and the highest average net price was $32,500 at private for-profit institutions for those with incomes of $110,001 or more.
Technical Notes
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