Cost & aid
What it costs
In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $49,604 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $25.3K more than the national median. The 61% who received grants paid $25,078 on average; the other 39% paid the full sticker price of $87,833.
- Full price
- $87,833 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
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
- The college's published promise (2026–27 policy)
View as a table
| Family income | Price per year |
|---|---|
| $0–30K | $-3K a year |
| $30–48K | $-193 a year |
| $48–75K | $3K a year |
| $75–110K | $11K 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: Stanford University says it doesn't count it.
- Divorced or separated parents: colleges with their own formula usually ask for both parents' finances.
$49,604
Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24
61% got grants averaging $62,755; 39% 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.
$91,518 before aid
Tuition, fees, and on-campus food and housing · up 11% from 2023–24.
Show the full next-year estimate
- Tuition, fees, food & housing$91,518
- Books and supplies$855
- Transportationvaries
- Other expenses$5,172
- Total for a student living on campuspartial: not every part is a number
$12K
≈ $127/month for 10 years
1.6 yrs
of median salary to cover 4 years of net price
6% of undergrads borrow 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 full39–40%
- Paying it down29–30%
- Payments paused18–20%
- Not paying it down9–10%
- Behind or in default0–4%
- Forgiven or discharged0–2%
Some shares are published as a small range to protect privacy.
Who actually gets aid
Aid generosity
GenerousGrants cover 44% of the $87,833 full price on average across all first-years (generous), more than at 58% of colleges. The sticker price overstates what most students here actually pay.
$38,229 in grants per first-year ÷ $87,833 full price.
Who gets grants and scholarships
Full-time first-year students (1,699), 2023–24
About 1 in 3 first-year students got no grant aid and paid the full sticker price of $87,833.
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 (1,699)
- Federal aid + grants372avg grant $79.2K
- Grants, no federal aid663avg grant $53.5K
- No grants664pay 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 (398 of 1,699), because income is only reported for them.
From Stanford University's Common Data Set
First-years and all full-time undergraduates, 2024–25.
| First-years | All full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Have financial need | 45%761 students | 49%3,693 students |
| Need met, on average | 100% | – |
| Need fully met | 98% | – |
| Average aid package | $77,279 | $75,816 |
| Average need-based grant | $72,166 | $71,440 |
| Average need-based loan | $4,236 | $4,620 |
| Merit aid without need | – | 0%average $13,813 |
| Athletic scholarships | – | 547average $59,099 |
1% 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.
Priority date: February 16 · Aid offers: about April 3 · Reply by: May 1
Dates for fall 2026 entrants; the next cycle's are usually similar.
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;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2026–27;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;Stanford University (2026–27), 2026–27;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)