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Average Merit Aid

Merit aid is financial aid awarded to students on the basis of their academic or extracurricular accomplishments, rather than their financial need.

The following table indicates the percentage of incoming freshmen receiving merit aid at more than 300 of America’s selective colleges, as well as the average merit award received. We also included the average Cost of Attendance (COA), a figure that includes tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, and personal expenses. For more information on how to position yourself to receive merit aid, visit our blog post on the subject.

*Data was collected from each institution’s 2024-25 Common Data Set. An asterisk (*) denotes that 2024 data was unavailable, and the most recent data available is provided instead.

Table updated November 2025

InstitutionCost of Attendance (In-State)Cost of Attendance (Out-of-State)Percent Receiving Merit Aid (Freshmen w/o Need)Average Merit Award (Freshmen w/o Need)
138600Agnes Scott College$68,622$68,62212%$37,277
210669Allegheny College$76,550$76,55027%$34,775
131159American UniversityAU$83,182$83,18228%$13,691
164465Amherst College$94,890$94,8900%$0
197869Appalachian State UniversityApp State$24,997$43,28711%$2,419
104151Arizona State UniversityASU$36,114$58,30636%$8,687
100858Auburn University$37,894$60,59838%$8,190
164580Babson College$85,416$85,4164%$27,174
189088Bard College$84,852$84,852Not Reported$34,750*
189097Barnard College$97,009$97,0090%$0
160977Bates College$92,080$92,0800%$0
223232Baylor University$85,734$85,73442%$17,382
238333Beloit College$77,748$77,74827%$44,777
230816Bennington College$93,922$93,92228%$45,451
164739Bentley University$87,570$87,57038%$21,176
156295Berea College$68,522$68,522Not ReportedNot Reported
164748Berklee College of Music$78,460$78,46043%$21,810
196079Binghamton University$32,044$51,92420%$6,472
142115Boise State University$31,873$50,98710%$2,771
164924Boston CollegeBC$96,348$96,3482%$24,920
164988Boston UniversityBU$94,427$94,4278%$47,920
161004Bowdoin College$93,800$93,8002%$1,000
165015Brandeis University$92,541$92,54119%$15,166
230038Brigham Young University-ProvoBYU$22,340$22,34035%$4,116
217156Brown University$97,726$97,726<1%$21,278
217165Bryant University$75,614$75,61443%$62
211273Bryn Mawr College$92,040$92,04017%$5,438
211291Bucknell University$91,836$91,8369%$19,010
150163Butler University$72,060$72,06041%$24,274
110404California Institute of TechnologyCaltech$93,912$93,9120%$0
111081California Institute of the Arts$77,308$77,30814%$6,250
110422California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCal Poly$39,537$46,6837%$3,746
110529California State Polytechnic University-Pomona$29,924$42,5242%$1,255
110556California State University-Fresno$24,238$24,2386%$3,304
110565California State University-Fullerton$33,260$43,82019%*$2,590
110583California State University-Long Beach$31,106$42,6504%$1,280
110592California State University-Los Angeles$34,521$47,1214%$6,655
173258Carleton College$93,352$93,3522%$15,761
211440Carnegie Mellon UniversityCMU$92,194$92,1942%$12,949
201645Case Western Reserve University$92,750$92,75037%$30,499
131283Catholic University of America$85,630$85,63034%$33,820
156408Centre College$73,580$73,58034%$32,217
230852Champlain College$71,872$71,87220%$17,162
111948Chapman University$91,267$91,26718%$23,936
112260Claremont McKenna CollegeCMC$97,010$97,0108%$23,300
165334Clark University$76,390$76,39033%$24,784
190044Clarkson University$83,966$83,96625%$38,830
217882Clemson University$28,838$54,15024%$4,905
161086Colby College$93,850$93,850<1%$2,000
190099Colgate University$95,610$95,6100%$0
217819College of Charleston$35,163$61,02950%$12,572
160959College of the Atlantic$61,940$61,9409%$13,905
166124College of the Holy Cross$89,748$89,7489%$24,796
231624College of William and MaryW&M$46,797$72,4955%$4,097
126678Colorado CollegeCC$94,500$94,5008%$12,776
126775Colorado School of Mines$45,178$69,65849%$8,652
126818Colorado State UniversityCSU$35,722$58,06126%$5,327
190150Columbia University in the City of New York$95,946$95,9460%$0
128902Connecticut College$91,660$91,66046%$28,097
190372Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art$70,442$70,442Not Reported$24,225
153162Cornell College$70,710$70,71023%$34,857
190415Cornell University$96,268$96,2680%$0
181002Creighton University$70,113$70,11346%$24,421
190512CUNY Bernard M Baruch College$32,409$44,0792%$6,133
190594CUNY Hunter College$33,024$44,6944%$4,354
182670Dartmouth College$95,588$95,5880%$0
198385Davidson College$90,274$90,2743%$41,262
202523Denison University$92,900$92,90035%$18,758
144740DePaul University$72,174$72,17424%$20,876
150400DePauw University$80,620$80,62043%$39,482
212009Dickinson College$89,772$89,77231%$32,586
153269Drake University$68,691$68,69126%$31,782
184348Drew University$74,234$74,23426%$24,014
212054Drexel University$86,243$86,24325%$23,607
198419Duke University$98,772$98,7721%$85,600
212106Duquesne University$73,626$73,62615%$22,476
150455Earlham College$72,981$72,98111%$36,114
198464East Carolina UniversityECU$22,740$39,0175%$4,017
133492Eckerd College$73,062$73,06230%$19,528
212197Elizabethtown College$55,330$55,33025%$19,635
198516Elon University$67,806$67,80643%$12,923
133553Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University$68,772$68,772Not Reported$12,453*
165662Emerson College$87,516$87,51628%$14,378
165671Emmanuel College$73,056$73,05614%$3,703
139658Emory University$93,264$93,2645%$38,751
129242Fairfield University$83,330$83,33060%$23,408
191126Fashion Institute of TechnologyFIT$38,593$49,1735%$971
133669Florida Atlantic UniversityFAU$30,657$46,21317%$1,828
133881Florida Institute of Technology$66,230$66,23032%$19,033
133951Florida International UniversityFIU$26,362$38,76031%$2,616
134079Florida Southern College$65,900$65,90029%$24,864
134097Florida State UniversityFSU$26,083$41,24911%$4,447
191241Fordham University$97,384$97,38418%$22,690
212577Franklin and Marshall CollegeF&M$92,270$92,27025%$19,876
441982Franklin W Olin College of Engineering$86,474$86,47449%$30,069
218070Furman University$82,258$82,25840%$31,388
232186George Mason UniversityGMU$35,462$60,35823%$8,892
131469George Washington UniversityGWU$91,995$91,99525%$25,357
131496Georgetown University$97,264$97,2640%$0
139861Georgia College & State University$31,931$52,8172%$2,794
139755Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Tech$32,728$55,8128%$5,329
139940Georgia State University$28,806$49,626Not ReportedNot Reported
212674Gettysburg College$89,340$89,34032%$38,359
235316Gonzaga University$79,798$79,79842%$22,532
162654Goucher College$77,000$77,00028%$39,240
153384Grinnell College$91,594$91,59423%$26,154
212805Grove City College$37,190$37,19019%$7,434
173647Gustavus Adolphus College$70,568$70,56833%$30,765
191515Hamilton College$93,450$93,4500%$0
166018Hampshire College$81,236$81,23625%$30,599
150756Hanover College$61,001$61,00115%$27,309
166027Harvard University$90,426$90,426<1%$6,000
115409Harvey Mudd CollegeHMC$98,734$98,73417%$10,457
212911Haverford College$97,046$97,0460%$0
107080Hendrix College$58,916$58,91631%$27,109
170286Hillsdale College$51,410$51,41045%$21,835
191630Hobart William Smith Colleges$88,922$88,92231%$33,592
191649Hofstra University$82,328$82,32821%$27,293
170301Hope College$58,272$58,27235%*$17,754
131520Howard UniversityHU$64,042$64,04215%$15,018
145725Illinois Institute of TechnologyIIT$77,624$77,62422%$30,379
145646Illinois Wesleyan University$75,748$75,74823%$32,651
151351Indiana University-BloomingtonIUB$30,922$61,07336%$6,253
153603Iowa State University$25,719$44,76745%$6,544
191968Ithaca College$74,948$74,94829%$29,280
232423James Madison UniversityJMU$33,276$50,6225%$7,701
162928Johns Hopkins UniversityJHU$91,830$91,8304%$22,347
213251Juniata College$77,450$77,45022%$40,048
170532Kalamazoo College$76,749$76,74929%$48,583
155399Kansas State University$26,581$43,92840%$4,341
203535Kenyon College$93,890$93,89033%$24,471
169983Kettering University$65,646$65,64621%$24,100
146427Knox College$75,042$75,04249%$47,083
213385Lafayette College$89,568$89,56820%$19,371
146481Lake Forest College$76,500$76,50020%$33,950
239017Lawrence University$74,166$74,16649%$47,083
192323Le Moyne College$61,513$61,51310%$21,747
213543Lehigh University$88,600$88,6007%$22,231
209056Lewis & Clark College$87,958$87,95833%$31,582
159391Louisiana State UniversityLSU$37,205$53,88320%$7,583
117946Loyola Marymount UniversityLMU$92,890$92,89053%$10,762
146719Loyola University ChicagoLUC$77,140$77,14030%$25,498
163046Loyola University Maryland$79,960$79,96023%$29,547
173902Macalester College$90,262$90,26236%$18,937
161299Maine Maritime Academy$32,614$48,44235%$8,346
192819Marist College$75,450$75,45038%$20,510
239105Marquette University$74,439$74,43942%$30,813
166683Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMIT$90,110$90,1100%$0
140447Mercer University$63,031$63,03129%$25,086
204024Miami University-Oxford$39,855$62,32049%$11,275
171100Michigan State UniversityMSU$39,330$65,6829%$10,494
171128Michigan Technological University$38,123$63,01940%$11,594
230959Middlebury College$93,756$93,756<1%$5,000
239318Milwaukee School of EngineeringMSOE$69,662$69,66210%$22,432
176080Mississippi State University$31,985$50,11714%$6,065
178411Missouri University of Science and TechnologyMUST$32,486$51,67443%$16,541
180461Montana State University$30,614$55,09919%$2,057
140553Morehouse College$56,138$56,1383%$9,975
166939Mount Holyoke CollegeMHC$92,127$92,12717%$25,303
214175Muhlenberg College$84,388$84,38829%$27,198
262129New College of Florida$25,635$48,66351%$9,022
185828New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNJIT$47,142$65,89218%$15,733
187967New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyNMIT$26,052$47,62343%$8,037
193900New York UniversityNYU$96,988$96,9881%$23,737
199193North Carolina State UniversityNC State$27,481$52,4465%$5,908
167358Northeastern University$94,137$94,13713%$16,112
147767Northwestern University$96,182$96,1821%$20,625
204501Oberlin College$91,436$91,43651%$23,035
120254Occidental CollegeOxy$92,048$92,04829%$17,397
204796Ohio State UniversityOSU$33,033$61,81526%$7,425
204857Ohio UniversityOU$33,676$44,8905%$6,639
204909Ohio Wesleyan University$73,926$73,92618%$37,449
209542Oregon State UniversityOSU$37,581$62,54142%$9,250
214777Pennsylvania State UniversityPSU; Penn State$43,146$65,5386%$5,764
121150Pepperdine University$98,652$98,65232%$7,158
121257Pitzer College$94,118$94,1182%$7,000
121345Pomona College$94,334$94,3340%$0
194578Pratt Institute-Main$87,238$87,23838%$20,442
186131Princeton University$91,380$91,3800%$0
217402Providence College$88,170$88,1709%$26,118
243780Purdue University-Main Campus$23,452$42,25422%$5,821
130226Quinnipiac University$79,360$79,36033%$28,063
186201Ramapo College of New Jersey$39,731$51,20921%$7,098
209922Reed College$84,680$84,6800%$0
194824Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRPI$87,744$87,74438%$36,111
217493Rhode Island School of DesignRISD$81,810$81,810<1%$12,157
221351Rhodes College$77,149$77,14936%$32,393
227757Rice University$90,240$90,2404%$22,318
195003Rochester Institute of TechnologyRIT$81,354$81,35427%$22,755
136950Rollins College$85,050$85,05015%$24,849
152318Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyRHIT$82,167$82,16743%$31,083
184782Rowan University$39,606$50,43025%$7,319
186371Rutgers University-Camden$39,884$60,70917%$5,873
186380Rutgers University-New BrunswickRU$41,541$62,3662%$10,071
186399Rutgers University-Newark$41,025$61,8504%$10,008
183239Saint Anselm College$72,702$72,70231%$28,732
179159Saint Louis UniversitySLU$81,002$81,00226%$25,270
231059Saint Michael's College$74,480$74,48036%$28,783
122409San Diego State UniversitySDSU$37,324$50,6441%$3,811
122755San Jose State UniversitySJSU$30,184$43,5042%$3,146
122931Santa Clara UniversitySCU$89,692$89,69213%$16,788
195304Sarah Lawrence CollegeSLC$84,004$84,00430%$29,294
123165Scripps College$93,988$93,98815%$24,048
236595Seattle University$79,863$79,86320%$27,377
195474Siena College$69,238$69,23824%$21,774
167783Simmons University$71,556$71,55620%$24,894
195526Skidmore College$92,200$92,200<1%$20,000
167835Smith College$94,159$94,1594%$23,348
399911Soka University of America$61,156$61,1569%$7,917
228246Southern Methodist UniversitySMU$93,014$93,01432%$27,376
228343Southwestern University$76,493$76,49339%$29,955
141060Spelman College$56,394$56,3943%$25,840
195216St. Lawrence UniversitySLU$87,050$87,05040%$35,305
174844St. Olaf College$78,600$78,60021%$31,697
163976St. John's College (MD)$60,425$60,42529%$15,561
245652St. John's College (NM)$55,824$55,82429%$18,338
163912St. Mary's College of Maryland$34,154$50,71342%$5,236
243744Stanford University$96,513$96,513<1%$4,150
196176State University of New York at New Paltz$30,882$41,4821%$2,463
137546Stetson University$80,381$80,38119%$33,377
186867Stevens Institute of Technology$87,926$87,92629%$24,345
167996Stonehill College$74,005$74,00537%$21,379
196097Stony Brook University$33,275$57,25531%$2,599
196219SUNY at Purchase College$30,589$40,4993%$3,415
196167SUNY College at Geneseo$29,061$39,63110%$2,028
196103SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry$30,310$44,26021%*$3,654*
216287Swarthmore College$93,172$93,172<1%*Not Reported
196413Syracuse University$92,061$92,06133%$18,253
216339Temple University$42,129$58,55018%$10,264
228723Texas A&M University-College Station$32,486$59,71514%$5,474
228875Texas Christian UniversityTCU$88,072$88,07237%$23,555
229115Texas Tech University$28,525$40,82542%$3,508
187134The College of New JerseyTCNJ$41,524$47,88821%$4,883
206589The College of Wooster$82,060$82,06029%$39,386
193654The New School$92,950$92,95035%$20,799
100751The University of Alabama$33,028$55,88636%$19,109
180489The University of Montana$28,816$54,02429%$7,174
137847The University of Tampa$59,818$59,81829%$12,806
221759The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleUTK$35,410$54,55444%$5,871
228778The University of Texas at AustinUT Austin$33,037$66,2585%$3,998
228787The University of Texas at DallasUTD; UT Dallas$34,903$60,40320%$10,677
221519The University of the South$77,184$77,18448%$27,492
124292Thomas Aquinas College$46,879$46,8790%$0
216366Thomas Jefferson University$72,077$72,077<1%$18,556
164076Towson University$33,522$52,66817%$4,652
130590Trinity College$95,840$95,8408%$23,543
229267Trinity University$74,298$74,29850%$27,801
178615Truman State University$26,760$35,82945%$9,075
168148Tufts University$96,028$96,0284%$45,237
160755Tulane University of Louisiana$95,707$95,70723%$21,264
196866Union College$91,416$91,41623%$24,885
128328United States Air Force AcademyUSAFA$0$00%$0
130624United States Coast Guard AcademyUSCGA$0$00%$0
197027United States Merchant Marine Academy$9,168$9,1680%$0
197036United States Military AcademyUSMA$0$00%$0
164155United States Naval Academy$0$00%$0
196088University at Buffalo$34,692$56,12210%$4,561
100663University of Alabama at BirminghamUAB$32,361$49,70130%$9,765
104179University of ArizonaUA$35,369$61,69942%$11,450
106397University of Arkansas$32,628$53,68219%$4,661
110635University of California-BerkeleyUCB: UC Berkeley$52,147$89,7492%$13,175
110644University of California-DavisUCD; UC Davis$41,915$75,7653%$8,659
110653University of California-IrvineUCI; UC Irvine$39,765$73,6153%$12,649
110662University of California-Los AngelesUCLA$38,682$72,5324%$8,557
445188University of California-MercedUC Merced$42,403$76,2536%$7,832
110671University of California-RiversideUCR; UC Riverside$43,507$81,1092%$5,791
110680University of California-San DiegoUCSD; UC San Diego$44,871$82,4733%$14,948
110705University of California-Santa BarbaraUCSB; UC Santa Barbara$42,795$76,6452%$12,372
110714University of California-Santa CruzUCSC; UC Santa Cruz$42,159$79,7618%$8,313
132903University of Central FloridaUCF$24,330$42,03812%$3,534
144050University of ChicagoUChicago$98,301$98,3014%$16,338
201885University of Cincinnati-Main Campus$36,732$53,74426%$6,387
126614University of Colorado-Boulder$37,352$67,49457%$10,363
129020University of ConnecticutUConn$41,432$64,10025%$11,091
224323University of Dallas$76,220$76,22027%$22,358
130943University of DelawareUD$37,884$63,44431%$9,564
127060University of DenverUD$85,264$85,26452%$26,775
134130University of FloridaUF$24,181$48,6863%$3,666
139959University of GeorgiaUGA$29,566$50,4106%$2,793
225511University of Houston$23,174$39,0625%$4,301
142285University of Idaho$28,284$47,52040%$10,886
145600University of Illinois at ChicagoUIC$40,006$55,5523%$5,680
145637University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUIUC$36,930$57,28213%$5,756
153658University of Iowa$30,850$52,93834%$6,075
155317University of KansasKU$28,808$47,13838%$7,973
157085University of KentuckyUK$37,521$58,77836%$8,345
157289University of Louisville$34,714$51,06024%$10,432
161253University of Maine$30,296$54,44636%$9,432
232681University of Mary Washington$34,464$47,97053%$5,488
163268University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyUMBC$33,674$51,36044%$6,095
163286University of Maryland-College ParkUMD$31,432$60,80921%$7,827
166629University of Massachusetts-AmherstUMass Amherst$37,853$61,12535%$8,452
166638University of Massachusetts-BostonUMass Boston$39,810$62,02717%$6,976
166513University of Massachusetts-LowellUMass Lowell$36,154$55,95019%$8,464
135726University of MiamiUM$98,118$98,11835%$24,523
170976University of MichiganUMich$39,699$86,40514%$4,538
174233University of Minnesota-Duluth$29,980$35,73044%$2,487
174251University of Minnesota-Morris$30,216$32,51022%$4,160
174066University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesUMN$36,662$59,54815%$5,866
176017University of MississippiOle Miss$31,314$51,47434%$10,714
178396University of Missouri-ColumbiaMizzou$34,940$57,21246%$9,204
181464University of Nebraska-LincolnUNL$28,654$46,98413%$3,811
182281University of Nevada-Las VegasUNLV$27,988$45,65118%$3,209
182290University of Nevada-RenoUNR$29,508$48,14033%$2,300
183044University of New HampshireUNH$39,098$60,26033%$7,189
199111University of North Carolina at AshevilleUNC Asheville$23,840$41,18821%$3,065
199120University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUNC Chapel Hill$27,766$63,8983%$8,400
199139University of North Carolina at CharlotteUNCC; UNC Charlotte$24,868$40,12214%$3,231
199148University of North Carolina at GreensboroUNCG; UNC Greensboro$25,332$41,68411%$3,223
199218University of North Carolina-WilmingtonUNC Wilmington$29,170$47,32413%$3,457
152080University of Notre DameUND$89,245$89,2452%$22,952
207500University of OklahomaOU$31,306$48,88613%$3,811
209551University of Oregon$37,756$65,77129%$6,601
215062University of PennsylvaniaUPenn$95,612$95,612Not ReportedNot Reported
215293University of Pittsburgh$40,904$61,6009%$8,027
209825University of Portland$83,962$83,96223%$29,685
236328University of Puget Sound$86,880$86,88036%$30,447
121691University of Redlands$86,868$86,86812%$33,389
217484University of Rhode IslandURI$38,514$59,43626%$6,519
233374University of Richmond$88,460$88,46013%$51,205
195030University of Rochester$92,172$92,17223%$17,238
122436University of San DiegoUSD$86,266$86,26620%$23,136
122612University of San FranciscoUSF$86,337$86,33730%$25,966
215929University of Scranton$77,168$77,16820%$27,047
218663University of South CarolinaUSC$37,778$62,46630%$4,430
137351University of South FloridaUSF$26,516$37,43015%$3,493
123961University of Southern CaliforniaUSC$99,689$99,68927%$20,312
174914University of St. Thomas$74,921$74,92119%$25,288
230764University of Utah$38,885$63,23520%$7,830
231174University of VermontUVM$37,756$65,79649%$18,070
234076University of VirginiaUVA$45,363$84,3892%$5,894
377555University of Washington-Bothell Campus$35,467$65,7031%$7,447
236948University of Washington-SeattleUW$35,738$66,97210%$4,035
240444University of Wisconsin-MadisonUW-Madison$30,624$62,6495%$9,313
216524Ursinus College$82,884$82,88423%$36,273
221999Vanderbilt UniversityVandy$97,374$97,3749%$29,973
197133Vassar College$96,020$96,0200%$0
216597Villanova University$92,756$92,7565%$32,067
234030Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVCU$40,563$63,03720%$5,637
233921Virginia TechVirginia Tech$39,228$61,08811%$3,288
152673Wabash College$71,050$71,05033%$35,584
199847Wake Forest University$96,382$96,3822%$22,262
234207Washington and Lee UniversityW&L; WLU$95,970$95,9704%$59,826
164216Washington College$78,820$78,82031%$38,872
236939Washington State UniversityWSU$32,460$49,56631%$4,972
179867Washington University in St. LouisWashU$97,995$97,9952%$42,765
168218Wellesley College$96,490$96,4900%$0
168227Wentworth Institute of Technology$68,158$68,15825%$19,393
130697Wesleyan University$96,696$96,696<1%$20,553
216764West Chester University of Pennsylvania$33,580$45,57217%$2,032
238032West Virginia UniversityWVU$28,976$47,48033%$8,274
125727Westmont College$76,374$76,37430%$27,116
149781Wheaton College (IL)$65,740$65,74032%$18,567
168281Wheaton College (MA)$86,300$86,30024%$36,088
237057Whitman College$78,332$78,33237%$21,981
125763Whittier College$71,170$71,17030%$28,904
210401Willamette University$75,378$75,37833%$28,776
168342Williams College$94,450$94,4500%$0
218973Wofford College$79,196$79,19634%$28,527
168421Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWPI$83,868$83,86841%$22,761
130794Yale University$95,350$95,350<1%$27,333
197708Yeshiva UniversityYU$77,325$77,32551%$25,536

Colleges Worth Your Money

2025 Edition

A Guide to What America's Top Schools Can Do for You


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