Cost & aid
What it costs
In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $30,411 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $6.1K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $29,830 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $73,896.
- Full price
- $73,896 a year
- tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
- Need-based aid
- Little need-based aid above $110K
- aid thins out for families above that income
- Merit aid
- 33% · avg $40K
- of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's 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: $34K · proxy: 33% got one. A possibility, not a promise
View as a table
| Family income | Price per year |
|---|---|
| $0–30K | $18K a year |
| $30–48K | $23K a year |
| $48–75K | $25K a year |
| $75–110K | $27K 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.
$30,411
Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24
100% got grants averaging $43,485; 0% 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.
$77,286 before aid
Tuition, fees, and on-campus food and housing · up 10% from 2023–24.
Show the full next-year estimate
- Tuition, fees, food & housing$77,286
- Books and supplies$938
- Transportation$1,192
- Other expenses$2,026
- Total for a student living on campus$81,442
$27K
≈ $286/month for 10 years
1.9 yrs
of median salary to cover 4 years of net price
About 1 in 2 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 full19–20%
- Paying it down33–34%
- Payments paused22–24%
- Not paying it down17–18%
- Behind or in default6–8%
- Forgiven or discharged0–2%
Some shares are published as a small range to protect privacy.
Who actually gets aid
Aid generosity
Very generousGrants cover 59% of the $73,896 full price on average across all first-years (very generous), more than at 92% of colleges. The sticker price overstates what most students here actually pay.
$43,485 in grants per first-year ÷ $73,896 full price.
Who gets grants and scholarships
Full-time first-year students (230), 2023–24
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 (230)
- Federal aid + grants153avg grant $45.4K
- Grants, no federal aid77avg grant $39.6K
- No grants0pay 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 (153 of 230), because income is only reported for them.
From Washington College's Common Data Set
First-years and all full-time undergraduates, 2024–25.
| First-years | All full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Have financial need | 75%202 students | 64%578 students |
| Need met, on average | 84% | 77% |
| Need fully met | 93% | 33% |
| Average aid package | $49,381 | $48,296 |
| Average need-based grant | $13,772 | $7,280 |
| Average need-based loan | $3,107 | $4,047 |
| Merit aid without need | – | 34%average $36,476 |
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.
Priority date: March 1 · Aid offers: on a rolling basis from October 1 · Reply by: May 1
Dates for fall 2026 entrants; the next cycle's are usually similar.
What the college's own scholarships consider
| Academics | ✓ | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Art | ✓ | not marked |
| Leadership | ✓ | not marked |
| Music or drama | ✓ | not marked |
| State or district residency | ✓ | ✓ |
A blank means the college didn't mark it, not that it never counts.
International students
Need-based and merit aid offered.
International applicants file: 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;Washington College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2026–27;Washington College Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;Washington College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Washington 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)