Cost & aid
What it costs
In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $58,712 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $34.4K more than the national median. The 56% who received grants paid $36,123 on average; the other 44% paid the full sticker price of $87,128.
- Full price
- $87,128 a year
- tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
- Need-based aid
- Published data end at $110K
- use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
- Merit aid
- 7.3% · avg $9K
- of first-years without need got merit aid
Cost by family income
Per year for a typical family of four with one child in college. Up to $110K it is the average price federal aid recipients paid (2023–24).
Hover, tap, or use the arrow keys to read the price at an income.
- Published federal figures
- With an average merit award: $78K · 7.3% got one. A possibility, not a promise
View as a table
| Family income | Price per year |
|---|---|
| $0–30K | $9K a year |
| $30–48K | $15K a year |
| $48–75K | $13K a year |
| $75–110K | $24K a year |
| $150K | Published data end at $110K |
| $200K | Published data end at $110K |
| $250K | Published data end at $110K |
| $300K | Published data end at $110K |
| $350K | Published data end at $110K |
| $400K and above | Published data end at $110K |
At $150K: Published data end at $110K
Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for a number.
Your own number depends on the details below, so use the college's calculator for it.
What can change this
- Savings and investments above a typical amount raise the price. The curve assumes typical assets.
- Home equity: some colleges that use the CSS Profile count it. Check this college's own aid page or calculator.
- Divorced or separated parents: colleges with their own formula usually ask for both parents' finances.
$58,712
Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24
56% got grants averaging $50,834; 44% got none.
Who pays what
Share of first-year students, 2023–24.
Housing and food use the college's on-campus rates, so the estimate runs high where many students live at home. “Other expenses” is the college's estimate of personal and transportation costs. Loans aren't subtracted because they're repaid.
$18.3K
≈ $194/month for 10 years
3.6 yrs
of median salary to cover 4 years of net price
About 1 in 4 undergrads borrows federally.
Everyone who borrowed and left, whether or not they graduated.
Three years into repayment
Where former undergraduates stand on their federal loans.
- Paid in full30–34%
- Paying it down35–39%
- Payments paused10–19%
- Not paying it down10–14%
- Behind or in default0–10%
- Forgiven or discharged0–5%
Some shares are published as a small range to protect privacy.
Who actually gets aid
Aid generosity
ModerateGrants cover 33% of the $87,128 full price on average across all first-years (moderate), more than at 31% of colleges.
$28,416 in grants per first-year ÷ $87,128 full price.
Who gets grants and scholarships
Full-time first-year students (517), 2023–24
About 1 in 2 first-year students got no grant aid and paid the full sticker price of $87,128.
Where the aid comes from
Share of first-year students receiving each; averages are per recipient.
Aid by family income
The whole first-year class (517)
- Federal aid + grants224avg grant $57.1K
- Grants, no federal aid65avg grant $29.1K
- No grants228pay full price
Students with grants but no federal aid usually got the college's own need-based aid (without federal loans or Pell) or merit aid.
By family income: only students who received federal aid (239 of 517), because income is only reported for them.
From Colorado College's Common Data Set
First-years and all full-time undergraduates, 2025–26 (estimated).
| First-years | All full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Have financial need | 49%248 students | 43%801 students |
| Need met, on average | 100% | 100% |
| Need fully met | 100% | 99% |
| Average aid package | $69,399 | $70,069 |
| Average need-based grant | $65,911 | $65,831 |
| Average need-based loan | $2,893 | $3,137 |
| Merit aid without need | 7%average $9,466 | 13%average $10,477 |
11% of the college's own grant dollars were awarded without regard to need.
Each college decides what a family needs, so “100% of need met” can mean different prices at different colleges. Merit awards that went toward a student's need count as need-based here.
Applying for aid
For fall 2026 entrants.
If your parents are divorced or separated, the other parent also files the .
Also: Federal tax forms for parent (and student, applicable)
Priority date: November 1 · Deadline: March 1 · Aid offers: about March 15 · Reply by: May 1
Dates for fall 2026 entrants; the next cycle's are usually similar.
What the college's own scholarships consider
| Academics | ✓ | not marked |
|---|---|---|
| Athletics | ✓ | not marked |
| State or district residency | ✓ | ✓ |
A blank means the college didn't mark it, not that it never counts.
In the college's words:
“ The Four Corners Pledge ensures that qualifying families from AZ, CO, NM and UT attend Colorado College for a cost similar to that of regional public institutions. Families must earn less than $250,000 and have assets typical to that income to qualify.”Colorado College Common Data Set
International students
Need-based and merit aid offered.
International applicants file: the CSS Profile, the college's own form ().
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;Colorado College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2026–27;Colorado College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26 (estimated);Colorado College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Colorado College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)