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 2022-23 Common Data Set, the most recent year for which such data is made available.

Table updated on November 2023

InstitutionCost of Attendance (In-State)Cost of Attendance (Out-of-State)% Receiving Merit Aid (Undergraduates w/o Need)Average Merit Scholarship or Grant Award (Undergraduates w/o Need)
138600Agnes Scott College$63,690$63,69027%$31,849
210669Allegheny College$72,528$72,52828%$33,086
131159American UniversityAU$76,198$76,19818%$13,293
164465Amherst College$87,640$87,640<1%$62,733
197869Appalachian State UniversityApp State$24,089$41,0851%$2,754
104151Arizona State UniversityASU$33,270$53,41230%$9,550
100858Auburn University$35,298$56,70625%$7,739
164580Babson College$81,242$81,2425%$23,148
189088Bard College$80,350$80,3503%Not Reported
189097Barnard College$86,794$86,7940%$0
160977Bates College$83,532$83,5320%$0
223232Baylor University$75,352$75,35243%$17,909
238333Beloit College$72,194$72,19429%$40,142
230816Bennington College$87,834$87,83440%$40,531
164739Bentley University$80,420$80,42031%$19,672
156295Berea College$12,118$12,118Not ReportedNot Reported
164748Berklee College of Music$73,270$73,27030%$18,895
196079Binghamton University$29,869$47,7096%$8,887
142115Boise State University$32,341$50,5352%$2,504
164924Boston CollegeBC$89,605$89,6051%$22,433
164988Boston UniversityBU$86,363$86,3634%$28,069
161004Bowdoin College$85,100$85,1003%$1,000
165015Brandeis University$82,314$82,31421%$15,172
230038Brigham Young University-ProvoBYU$22,992$22,99227%$4,538
217156Brown University$89,490$89,490<1%$19,306
217165Bryant University$71,377$71,37737%$20,023
211273Bryn Mawr College$83,700$83,70038%$18,728
211291Bucknell University$84,590$84,59011%$24,895
150163Butler University$66,690$66,69042%$20,213
110404California Institute of TechnologyCaltech$86,886$86,8860%$0
111081California Institute of the Arts$78,710$78,7108%Not Reported
110422California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCal Poly$34,170$48,21614%$1,955
110529California State Polytechnic University-Pomona$28,368$40,2480%$3,764
110556California State University-Fresno$23,744$29,8823%$4,485
110565California State University-Fullerton$30,638$42,51811%$1,735
110583California State University-Long Beach$28,312$38,6081%$3,578
110592California State University-Los Angeles$30,231$40,8051%$4,796
173258Carleton College$84,893$84,8933%$5,597
211440Carnegie Mellon UniversityCMU$83,697$83,6975%$41,651
201645Case Western Reserve University$82,374$82,37441%$26,072
131283Catholic University of America$79,024$79,02440%$27,969
156408Centre College$67,265$67,26538%$33,557
230852Champlain College$65,934$65,93411%$18,840
111948Chapman University$85,080$85,0809%$20,712
112260Claremont McKenna CollegeCMC$86,500$86,5006%$18,491
165334Clark University$68,827$68,82730%$19,599
190044Clarkson University$79,798$79,79820%$37,934
217882Clemson University$34,682$58,62622%$4,708
161086Colby College$85,920$85,920Not Reported$611
190099Colgate University$87,070$87,0700%$0
217819College of Charleston$33,096$56,97627%$13,287
160959College of the Atlantic$58,266$58,26617%$15,020
166124College of the Holy Cross$80,500$80,50010%$21,323
231624College of William and MaryW&M$43,036$66,8366%$9,065
126678Colorado CollegeCC$83,228$83,2289%$11,758
126775Colorado School of Mines$39,529$61,60944%$8,153
126818Colorado State UniversityCSU$32,439$53,29520%$5,146
190150Columbia University in the City of New York$65,524$65,524Not ReportedNot Reported
128902Connecticut College$84,697$84,69744%$24,168
190372Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art$69,546$69,54652%$28,198
153162Cornell College$66,192$66,19227%$31,853
190415Cornell University$88,140$88,140Not ReportedNot Reported
181002Creighton University$63,790$63,79045%$20,872
190512CUNY Bernard M Baruch College$33,799$45,4699%$5,934
190594CUNY Hunter College$36,681$48,3515%$2,315
182670Dartmouth College$87,923$87,9230%$0
198385Davidson College$79,225$79,2254%$29,885
202523Denison University$81,900$81,90042%$20,137
144740DePaul University$66,798$66,79824%$18,383
150400DePauw University$74,670$74,67048%$35,090
212009Dickinson College$83,202$83,20224%$21,542
153269Drake University$66,150$66,15032%$25,243
184348Drew University$63,808$63,80828%Not Reported
212054Drexel University$81,413$81,41336%$20,347
198419Duke University$89,853$89,8532%$74,057
212106Duquesne University$68,164$68,16433%$19,345
150455Earlham College$67,678$67,67814%$30,529
198464East Carolina UniversityECU$23,547$39,8248%$3,228
133492Eckerd College$68,652$68,65222%$18,743
212197Elizabethtown College$51,946$51,94627%$16,533
198516Elon University$62,514$62,51432%$8,036
133553Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University$62,936$62,9363%Not Reported
165662Emerson College$82,362$82,36223%$13,299
165671Emmanuel College$67,054$67,05421%$24,358
139658Emory University$83,622$83,6225%$27,933
129242Fairfield University$77,040$77,04060%$19,178
191126Fashion Institute of TechnologyFIT$38,360$48,9405%$864
133669Florida Atlantic UniversityFAU$26,073$41,6295%$1,712
133881Florida Institute of Technology$63,500$63,50030%$15,728
133951Florida International UniversityFIU$24,882$37,2806%$2,180
134079Florida Southern College$60,800$60,80032%$26,150
134097Florida State UniversityFSU$26,613$41,7798%$3,369
191241Fordham University$89,150$89,1506%$18,694
212577Franklin and Marshall CollegeF&M$86,618$86,618<1%$11,547
441982Franklin W Olin College of Engineering$83,818$83,81856%$28,399
218070Furman University$77,180$77,18046%$26,764
232186George Mason UniversityGMU$33,795$57,95912%$6,787
131469George Washington UniversityGWU$85,390$85,39028%$23,844
131496Georgetown University$89,450$89,450Not ReportedNot Reported
139861Georgia College & State University$30,355$49,5355%$2,032
139755Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Tech$31,068$52,1807%$5,903
139940Georgia State University$33,259$52,297Not ReportedNot Reported
212674Gettysburg College$83,460$83,46023%$25,327
235316Gonzaga University$74,182$74,18251%$18,198
162654Goucher College$71,900$71,90026%$26,947
153384Grinnell College$83,390$83,39026%$19,690
212805Grove City College$34,510$34,51021%$4,100
173647Gustavus Adolphus College$67,440$67,44021%$26,234
191515Hamilton College$84,230$84,2300%$0
166018Hampshire College$75,118$75,11826%$28,778
150756Hanover College$57,699$57,69924%$28,023
166027Harvard University$82,950$82,950<1%$7,379
115409Harvey Mudd CollegeHMC$90,165$90,16520%$14,147
212911Haverford College$89,900$89,9000%$0
107080Hendrix College$55,444$55,44431%$31,365
170286Hillsdale College$48,472$48,47248%$20,540
191630Hobart William Smith Colleges$82,727$82,72728%$27,397
191649Hofstra University$77,060$77,06029%$23,346
170301Hope College$52,061$52,06134%$15,332
131520Howard UniversityHU$54,630$54,63010%$14,162
145725Illinois Institute of TechnologyIIT$74,047$74,04734%$31,179
145646Illinois Wesleyan University$71,134$71,13426%$29,984
151351Indiana University-BloomingtonIUB$27,924$56,61630%$7,717
153603Iowa State University$23,932$40,41639%$4,648
191968Ithaca College$68,088$68,08832%$19,757
232423James Madison UniversityJMU$31,820$49,0342%$7,208
162928Johns Hopkins UniversityJHU$86,713$86,7137%$24,474
213251Juniata College$72,198$72,19827%$34,081
170532Kalamazoo College$70,691$70,69127%$32,179
155399Kansas State University$26,940$43,81414%$4,470
203535Kenyon College$87,590$87,59029%$15,854
169983Kettering University$61,180$61,18030%$18,939
146427Knox College$69,376$69,37629%$29,436
213385Lafayette College$83,058$83,05814%$26,074
146481Lake Forest College$71,130$71,13019%$30,815
239017Lawrence University$69,849$69,84934%$31,925
192323Le Moyne College$57,320$57,32017%$19,046
213543Lehigh University$81,150$81,1505%$16,317
209056Lewis & Clark College$80,454$80,45438%$25,806
159391Louisiana State UniversityLSU$35,218$51,89521%$6,934
117946Loyola Marymount UniversityLMU$82,692$82,69242%$12,098
146719Loyola University ChicagoLUC$71,276$71,27635%$20,524
163046Loyola University Maryland$74,230$74,23036%$23,189
173902Macalester College$83,084$83,08424%$18,034
161299Maine Maritime Academy$30,772$46,2525%$7,023
192819Marist College$69,730$69,73036%$15,499
239105Marquette University$68,433$68,43339%$20,078
166683Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMIT$83,330$83,3300%$0
140447Mercer University$59,416$59,41630%$22,002
204024Miami University-Oxford$37,180$58,25249%$11,782
171100Michigan State UniversityMSU$30,990$57,57614%$6,864
171128Michigan Technological University$34,758$57,70632%$8,014
230959Middlebury College$86,080$86,0800%$0
239318Milwaukee School of EngineeringMSOE$64,037$64,03720%$19,512
176080Mississippi State University$29,454$46,21915%$6,038
178411Missouri University of Science and TechnologyMUST$29,774$47,17434%$10,414
180461Montana State University$25,452$45,71512%$1,895
140553Morehouse College$51,623$51,6231%$12,465
166939Mount Holyoke CollegeMHC$85,980$85,98014%$21,813
214175Muhlenberg College$77,885$77,88529%$23,742
262129New College of Florida$21,677$44,70542%$4,137
185828New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNJIT$40,162$56,62214%$14,552
187967New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyNMIT$25,200$42,45438%$9,110
193900New York UniversityNYU$90,222$90,2226%$28,536
199193North Carolina State UniversityNC State$26,814$49,6857%$5,032
167358Northeastern University$86,821$86,82130%$14,204
147767Northwestern University$91,236$91,2363%$9,028
204501Oberlin College$85,496$85,49638%$18,794
120254Occidental CollegeOxy$84,800$84,80014%$14,556
204796Ohio State UniversityOSU$30,145$54,38222%$7,124
204857Ohio UniversityOU$30,962$41,33011%$6,021
204909Ohio Wesleyan University$69,983$69,98329%$32,018
209542Oregon State UniversityOSU$33,210$55,38016%$6,845
214777Pennsylvania State UniversityPSU; Penn State$39,447$58,26310%$5,420
121150Pepperdine University$93,512$93,51232%$17,145
121257Pitzer College$87,466$87,4662%$7,422
121345Pomona College$85,900$85,9000%$0
194578Pratt Institute-Main$80,993$80,99343%$20,081
186131Princeton University$84,040$84,0400%$0
217402Providence College$80,640$80,64016%$21,383
243780Purdue University-Main Campus$23,062$41,8648%$5,631
130226Quinnipiac University$73,320$73,32032%$20,287
186201Ramapo College of New Jersey$33,144$43,15412%$9,296
209922Reed College$83,310$83,3100%$0
194824Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRPI$82,404$82,40431%$28,970
217493Rhode Island School of DesignRISD$78,941$78,941Not ReportedNot Reported
221351Rhodes College$71,546$71,54648%$30,149
227757Rice University$78,978$78,9784%$19,528
195003Rochester Institute of TechnologyRIT$75,390$75,39024%$15,856
136950Rollins College$78,260$78,26038%$25,702
152318Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyRHIT$74,869$74,86942%$23,316
184782Rowan University$37,179$47,04311%$5,716
186371Rutgers University-Camden$36,231$54,9934%$6,392
186380Rutgers University-New BrunswickRU$37,717$56,4792%$10,324
186399Rutgers University-Newark$37,409$56,1711%$8,448
183239Saint Anselm College$67,604$67,60430%$23,774
179159Saint Louis UniversitySLU$73,884$73,88433%$23,845
231059Saint Michael's College$69,222$69,22233%$26,402
122409San Diego State UniversitySDSU$34,072$45,9521%$4,074
122755San Jose State UniversitySJSU$27,632$39,5120%$2,601
122931Santa Clara UniversitySCU$82,125$82,12536%$16,589
195304Sarah Lawrence CollegeSLC$83,124$83,12431%$25,661
123165Scripps College$87,564$87,56419%$17,662
236595Seattle University$73,613$73,61312%$25,406
195474Siena College$63,350$63,35025%$17,334
167783Simmons University$67,322$67,32224%$24,279
195526Skidmore College$85,120$85,120<1%$16,667
167835Smith College$86,027$86,0278%$19,366
399911Soka University of America$58,132$58,1329%$11,715
228246Southern Methodist UniversitySMU$86,090$86,09040%$30,532
228343Southwestern University$68,504$68,50438%$25,979
195216St Lawrence UniversitySLU$82,000$82,00024%$27,466
174844St Olaf College$72,470$72,47024%$24,037
163976St. John's College$55,790$55,79027%$12,926
245652St. John's College$56,234$56,23434%$16,673
163912St. Mary's College of Maryland$33,555$49,63140%$4,742
243744Stanford University$87,833$87,833<1%$26,426
196176State University of New York at New Paltz$29,010$38,9202%$2,319
137546Stetson University$75,450$75,45021%$28,137
186867Stevens Institute of Technology$81,852$81,85230%$21,118
167996Stonehill College$72,235$72,23535%$26,968
196097Stony Brook University$33,000$52,79011%$5,619
196219SUNY at Purchase College$30,479$40,38914%$2,694
196167SUNY College at Geneseo$27,846$38,0867%$2,202
196103SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry$29,276$41,10617%$3,402
216287Swarthmore College$83,676$83,6762%$54,918
196413Syracuse University$85,147$85,14737%$12,476
216339Temple University$37,691$52,55216%$7,169
228723Texas A & M University-College Station$31,921$60,11513%$5,564
228875Texas Christian UniversityTCU$78,450$78,45040%$20,523
229115Texas Tech University$28,022$40,26221%$4,303
187134The College of New JerseyTCNJ$38,826$51,62010%$5,854
206589The College of Wooster$76,050$76,05034%$34,133
193654The New School$89,808$89,80841%$14,043
100751The University of Alabama$31,858$53,15832%$15,845
180489The University of Montana$19,892$43,36220%$5,828
137847The University of Tampa$56,230$56,23014%$9,901
221759The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleUTK$27,622$45,81226%$6,174
228778The University of Texas at AustinUT Austin$30,246$59,6185%$4,152
228787The University of Texas at DallasUTD; UT Dallas$33,534$61,93425%$10,912
221519The University of the South$72,152$72,15245%$22,906
124292Thomas Aquinas College$43,376$43,376Not ReportedNot Reported
216366Thomas Jefferson University$65,028$65,028Not ReportedNot Reported
164076Towson University$31,390$48,4108%$5,018
130590Trinity College$88,010$88,010<1%$61,070
229267Trinity University$68,224$68,22453%$24,974
178615Truman State University$25,224$33,62434%$7,277
168148Tufts University$88,300$88,3002%$1,299
160755Tulane University of Louisiana$87,446$87,44633%$18,997
196866Union College$84,945$84,94532%$16,800
128328United States Air Force AcademyUSAFA$0$0Not ApplicableNot Applicable
130624United States Coast Guard AcademyUSCGA$0$0Not ApplicableNot Applicable
197027United States Merchant Marine Academy$6,963$6,963Not ApplicableNot Applicable
197036United States Military AcademyUSMA$0$0Not ApplicableNot Applicable
164155United States Naval Academy$0$0Not ApplicableNot Applicable
196088University at Buffalo$33,789$53,5795%$4,097
100663University of Alabama at BirminghamUAB$32,577$48,05729%$8,977
104179University of ArizonaUA$31,287$55,70532%$12,065
106397University of Arkansas$30,008$49,03219%$5,734
110635University of California-BerkeleyUCB: UC Berkeley$46,221$78,7956%$7,288
110644University of California-DavisUCD; UC Davis$40,487$71,2644%$4,896
110653University of California-IrvineUCI; UC Irvine$38,030$70,6044%$8,406
110662University of California-Los AngelesUCLA$35,591$68,1654%$6,573
445188University of California-MercedUC Merced$38,125$68,9021%$8,745
110671University of California-RiversideUCR; UC Riverside$39,308$71,8822%$6,320
110680University of California-San DiegoUCSD; UC San Diego$39,591$72,1654%$12,701
110705University of California-Santa BarbaraUCSB; UC Santa Barbara$35,152$65,9293%$8,183
110714University of California-Santa CruzUCSC; UC Santa Cruz$41,034$73,6086%$7,554
132903University of Central FloridaUCF$22,538$38,6378%$2,898
144050University of ChicagoUChicago$89,040$89,040Not ReportedNot Reported
201885University of Cincinnati-Main Campus$32,540$46,15023%$6,193
126614University of Colorado Boulder$34,876$63,22034%$10,199
129020University of ConnecticutUConn$39,682$62,35019%$11,200
224323University of Dallas$69,860$69,86035%$25,528
130943University of DelawareUD$33,718$57,35828%$9,674
127060University of DenverUD$80,536$80,53653%$21,438
134130University of FloridaUF$23,151$45,4285%$3,000
139959University of GeorgiaUGA$28,142$47,1824%$3,024
225511University of Houston$27,972$43,2124%$4,398
142285University of Idaho$24,868$44,10427%$8,459
145600University of Illinois at ChicagoUIC$39,637$54,6596%$6,899
145637University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUIUC$35,210$53,70612%$7,287
153658University of Iowa$28,596$50,55927%$6,363
155317University of KansasKU$15,637$32,50527%$7,909
157085University of KentuckyUK$33,086$53,28033%$9,247
157289University of Louisville$25,624$41,97017%$9,584
161253University of Maine$28,502$51,24234%$8,242
232681University of Mary Washington$30,624$47,54434%$4,821
163268University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyUMBC$32,170$49,52623%$6,839
163286University of Maryland-College ParkUMD$30,886$59,68715%$7,214
166629University of Massachusetts-AmherstUMass Amherst$35,234$57,17028%$7,724
166638University of Massachusetts-BostonUMass Boston$35,789$57,46510%$6,373
166513University of Massachusetts-LowellUMass Lowell$33,760$52,58619%$7,772
135726University of MiamiUM$88,440$88,44031%$22,323
170976University of MichiganUMich$34,606$74,09311%$6,027
174233University of Minnesota-Duluth$27,876$33,32021%$2,204
174251University of Minnesota-Morris$27,362$29,51217%$5,302
174066University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesUMN$32,666$52,58010%$5,676
176017University of MississippiOle Miss$29,112$46,68029%$12,037
178396University of Missouri-ColumbiaMizzou$30,279$50,47928%$7,264
181464University of Nebraska-LincolnUNL$28,594$46,23413%$8,635
182281University of Nevada-Las VegasUNLV$26,505$43,46110%$4,279
182290University of Nevada-RenoUNR$29,264$46,22013%$3,500
183044University of New HampshireUNH$35,754$55,52421%$6,656
199111University of North Carolina at AshevilleUNC Asheville$22,079$39,42716%$2,716
199120University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUNC Chapel Hill$25,964$56,3045%$6,127
199139University of North Carolina at CharlotteUNCC; UNC Charlotte$24,228$38,3523%$5,451
199148University of North Carolina at GreensboroUNCG; UNC Greensboro$20,381$35,5414%$3,285
199218University of North Carolina WilmingtonUNC Wilmington$27,030$42,6982%$3,956
152080University of Notre DameUND$83,271$83,2714%$14,112
207500University of OklahomaOU$29,093$45,66110%$3,251
209551University of Oregon$34,803$61,24613%$6,725
215062University of PennsylvaniaUPenn$89,028$89,0280%$0
215293University of Pittsburgh$38,446$56,8125%$9,233
209825University of Portland$75,560$75,5604%$23,108
236328University of Puget Sound$78,454$78,45446%$25,093
121691University of Redlands$75,856$75,85611%Not Reported
217484University of Rhode IslandURI$34,662$54,05814%$6,154
233374University of Richmond$81,320$81,32022%$27,128
195030University of Rochester$85,862$85,86224%$15,918
122436University of San DiegoUSD$79,444$79,44419%$19,532
122612University of San FranciscoUSF$83,662$83,66228%$20,757
215929University of Scranton$72,824$72,82425%$20,291
218663University of South CarolinaUSC$31,199$52,43942%$7,031
137351University of South FloridaUSF$24,652$35,56638%$3,424
123961University of Southern CaliforniaUSC$90,923$90,92322%$17,585
174914University of St Thomas$69,644$69,64413%$25,558
231174University of VermontUVM$35,968$60,96836%$16,278
234076University of VirginiaUVA$42,023$78,6507%$5,389
377555University of Washington-Bothell Campus$27,506$56,0042%$5,002
236948University of Washington-SeattleUW$34,552$63,90610%$4,090
240444University of Wisconsin-MadisonUW-Madison$28,905$58,3038%$6,296
216524Ursinus College$77,562$77,56226%$33,720
221999Vanderbilt UniversityVandy$89,126$89,12611%$26,099
197133Vassar College$87,920$87,9200%$0
216597Villanova University$85,202$85,2027%$27,402
234030Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVCU$37,032$58,92612%$7,577
233921Virginia TechVirginia Tech$37,182$57,79410%$3,348
152673Wabash College$65,825$65,82526%$32,196
199847Wake Forest University$90,148$90,14830%$32,196
234207Washington and Lee UniversityW&L; WLU$87,000$87,0007%$44,320
164216Washington College$73,810$73,81035%$27,506
236939Washington State UniversityWSU$30,562$46,63821%$5,381
179867Washington University in St LouisWashU$88,488$88,4882%$29,416
168218Wellesley College$87,290$87,290<1%$22,306
168227Wentworth Institute of Technology$64,930$64,93031%$14,318
130697Wesleyan University$89,170$89,170<1%$43,394
216764West Chester University of Pennsylvania$26,953$38,5276%$2,105
238032West Virginia UniversityWVU$20,978$38,18616%$4,737
125727Westmont College$71,150$71,15032%$26,901
149781Wheaton College$60,792$60,79242%$15,160
168281Wheaton College$81,010$81,01019%$33,421
237057Whitman College$77,532$77,53242%$16,330
125763Whittier College$67,496$67,49624%$27,127
210401Willamette University$67,592$67,59237%$19,629
168342Williams College$84,860$84,8600%$0
218973Wofford College$72,858$72,85827%$23,899
168421Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWPI$79,342$79,34241%$20,439
130794Yale University$88,430$88,4300%$0
197708Yeshiva UniversityYU$72,825$72,82534%$25,690

Colleges Worth Your Money

2024 Edition

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


Buy on Amazon Now
College Transitions Dataverse Book Image