Free tool
Aid Offer Comparison Tool
Sticker price isn't the cost of college. Enter your offers and we'll show the real 4-year out-of-pocket — with tuition inflation, loan interest, and a flag for any offer that's appealable.
This is a forward-looking estimate using current federal loan rates, IPEDS tuition inflation data, and the figures you provide. Actual costs vary by school, year, and life circumstances.
How this estimate is computed (sources + limitations)
The math, in five steps
- Year-1 net cost = COA − grants & scholarships − work-study. Loans are not subtracted — they are deferred cost, not aid, and subtracting them is what makes most net-price calculators understate the true cost.
- 4-year compounded out-of-pocket: each year's net cost is recomputed with the COA grown by 4% (the IPEDS 10-year median tuition inflation), with grants and work-study held flat. Per-year nets are floored at zero and summed.
- 4-year loan total: year-1 subsidized + unsubsidized × 4. V1 simplification — actual federal limits grow with academic year, but most users have the offer (not the federal schedule) in hand.
- Lifetime loan cost: standard 10-year Direct Loan repayment at the current federal undergraduate rate, computed with standard mortgage-style amortization (M = P[r(1+r)n] / [(1+r)n − 1]).
- Affordability gap = (4-year out-of-pocket) − (your stated affordable annual contribution × 4). The gap band — green/yellow/red — drives the appealability flag.
Sources
- College Scorecard glossary — net price definition
- studentaid.gov — Direct Loan interest rates
- studentaid.gov — annual loan limits
- IPEDS — published tuition inflation data (10-year median ≈ 4%)
- studentaid.gov — Professional Judgment overview (for appealability)
What this doesn't model
- Front-loaded grants. Many schools give more in year 1 than years 2-4. We assume grants stay flat. If your offer letter discloses tiered grant amounts, the real cost may be higher.
- Income-driven repayment plans (SAVE, PAYE, IBR). We use the federal standard 10-year plan; IDR plans pay more in total interest but lower monthly bills.
- Personal expenses beyond published COA (transportation home, summer storage, professional clothing for internships, etc.).
- School-specific tuition trend. 4% is an industry median; individual schools vary year to year.
- State grants, outside scholarships, and merit-based renewals — bundled into "grants & scholarships" rather than modeled separately.
This is a comparison tool, not financial advice. Decisions about which school to attend depend on factors beyond cost.