Cost & aid
What it costs
In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $35,395 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $11.1K more than the national median. The 98% who received grants paid $34,815 on average; the other 2% paid the full sticker price of $71,986.
- Full price
- $71,986 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
- 48% · avg $28K
- 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: $44K · 48% got one. A possibility, not a promise
View as a table
| Family income | Price per year |
|---|---|
| $0–30K | $10K a year |
| $30–48K | $11K a year |
| $48–75K | $18K a year |
| $75–110K | $23K 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.
$35,395
Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24
98% got grants averaging $37,171; 2% 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.
$77,680 before aid
Tuition, fees, and on-campus food and housing · up 13% from 2023–24.
Show the full next-year estimate
- Tuition, fees, food & housing$77,680
- Books and supplies$800
- Transportation$1,200
- Other expenses$1,200
- Total for a student living on campus$80,880
$22.9K
≈ $242/month for 10 years
2.2 yrs
of median salary to cover 4 years of net price
About 1 in 3 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 full20–24%
- Paying it down30–34%
- Payments paused20–28%
- 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
GenerousGrants cover 51% of the $71,986 full price on average across all first-years (generous), more than at 76% of colleges. The sticker price overstates what most students here actually pay.
$36,591 in grants per first-year ÷ $71,986 full price.
Who gets grants and scholarships
Full-time first-year students (449), 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 (449)
- Federal aid + grants246avg grant $44.1K
- Grants, no federal aid196avg grant $28.5K
- No grants7pay 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 (246 of 449), because income is only reported for them.
From The University of the South's Common Data Set
First-years and all full-time undergraduates, 2024–25.
| First-years | All full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Have financial need | 50%239 students | 49%787 students |
| Need fully met | 38% | 38% |
| Average aid package | $51,825 | $54,044 |
| Average need-based grant | $41,774 | $45,842 |
| Average need-based loan | $6,063 | $5,139 |
| Merit aid without need | 48%average $28,156 | 48%average $25,463 |
40% 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.
Deadline: February 1 · Aid offers: on a rolling basis from February 14 · 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 |
| Religious affiliation | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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 CSS Profile ().
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;The University of the South Common Data Set 2025–26, 2026–27;The University of the South Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;The University of the South Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;The University of the South 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)