Listed below are colleges that meet 90% and more of a family’s demonstrated financial need.
This list was based solely on using publicly available Common Data Set information that schools publish on their websites.
It’s not surprising that many selective colleges are included in this list, as many of these schools promise to meet 100% of need.
In addition, there are schools that are generous with need-based aid and are not as highly selective in their admissions process.
In addition to looking at the percent of need met and the average need-based aid, data on graduation rates, % admitted, and cost of attendance are provided.
Keep in mind that even though a college may meet a high percentage of a family’s need, it is the college that also determines what a family’s need is.
Some schools use FAFSA to determine need, but many schools on this list ask families to fill out the CSS Profile.
The CSS Profile asks for additional information about a family’s financial situation.
Schools use this information, along with their own calculations, to determine how much a family can contribute towards college.
This amount may vary from your SAI.
Colleges Meeting 90% and More of Financial Need
| Name | State | 4 yr Grad Rate | % Ad- mitted | Avg % of Need Met | Avg Need Based Award | Cost of Attendance In-State ('24-'25) | Cost of Attendance Out-of-State ('24-'25) | Cost of Attendance Private ('24-'25) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | CA | 77 | 3 | 100 | $74,780 | $93,912 | ||||||
| Harvard University | MA | 86 | 4 | 100 | $70,478 | $86,926 | ||||||
| Columbia University | NY | 83 | 4 | 100 | $78,824 | $89,909 | ||||||
| Stanford University | CA | 56 | 4 | 100 | $74,244 | $96,513 | ||||||
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | 82 | 6 | 100 | $64,857 | $89,340 | ||||||
| Yale University | CT | 57 | 4 | 100 | $75,093 | $94,297 | ||||||
| University of Chicago | IL | 87 | 5 | 100 | $82,308 | 98,301 | ||||||
| Brown University | RI | 77 | 6 | 100 | $68,926 | $97,284 | ||||||
| Princeton University | NJ | 75 | 5 | 100 | $71,237 | $90,718 | ||||||
| Duke University | NC | 87 | 6 | 100 | $76,028 | $98,549 | ||||||
| Dartmouth College | NH | 75 | 6 | 100 | $71,318 | $95,490 | ||||||
| University of Pennsylvania | PA | 86 | 6 | 100 | $70,971 | $95,612 | ||||||
| Pomona College | CA | 61 | 8 | 100 | $69,224 | $93,734 | ||||||
| Northeastern University | MA | 6 | 100 | $60,416 | $90,250 | |||||||
| Swarthmore College | PA | 76 | 8 | 100 | $72,334 | $90,692 | ||||||
| Northwestern University | IL | 88 | 8 | 100 | $65,612 | $93,333 | ||||||
| Vanderbilt University | TN | 89 | 6 | 100 | $78,832 | $94,274 | ||||||
| Johns Hopkins University | MD | 87 | 7 | 100 | $67,159 | $88,976 | ||||||
| Amherst College | MA | 75 | 10 | 100 | $69,507 | $99,366 | ||||||
| Cornell University | NY | 87 | 9 | 100 | $62,720 | $73,012 | $96,268 | |||||
| Colby College | ME | 75 | 8 | 100 | $72,021 | $93,400 | ||||||
| Williams College | MA | 71 | 9 | 100 | $76,769 | $92,250 | ||||||
| Rice University | TX | 86 | 8 | 100 | $63,233 | $91,562 | ||||||
| Bowdoin College | ME | 72 | 8 | 100 | $68,055 | $93,800 | ||||||
| Tufts University | MA | 83 | 12 | 100 | $59,574 | $93,182 | ||||||
| Claremont McKenna College | CA | 75 | 10 | 100 | $67,764 | $97,010 | ||||||
| Grinnell College | IA | 75 | 15 | 100 | $67,476 | $91,094 | ||||||
| Carnegie Mellon University | PA | 81 | 12 | 100 | $56,005 | $90,070 | ||||||
| Washington University in St. Louis | MO | 85 | 13 | 100 | $77,091 | $92,935 | ||||||
| Emory University | GA | 81 | 11 | 100 | $66,706 | $93,352 | ||||||
| Barnard College | NY | - | - | 100 | $71,172 | $99,874 | ||||||
| Hamilton College | NY | 79 | 14 | 100 | $64,435 | $91,150 | ||||||
| Georgetown University | DC | 87 | 13 | 100 | $60,931 | $92,564 | ||||||
| Colgate University | NY | 85 | 14 | 100 | $69,907 | $92,092 | ||||||
| University of Southern California | CA | 77 | 11 | 100 | $67,015 | $99,139 | ||||||
| Middlebury College | VT | 66 | 11 | 100 | $62,170 | $90,756 | ||||||
| University of Notre Dame | IN | 89 | 12 | 100 | $67,855 | $89,245 | ||||||
| Harvey Mudd College | CA | 81 | 13 | 100 | $60,616 | $98,984 | ||||||
| Wellesley College | MA | 78 | 15 | 100 | $68,625 | $95,401 | ||||||
| Bates College | ME | 82 | 14 | 100 | $64,249 | $94,527 | ||||||
| Haverford College | PA | 76 | 13 | 100 | $70,506 | $97,218 | ||||||
| Wesleyan University | CT | 81 | 17 | 100 | $75,903 | $96,596 | ||||||
| The Colorado College | CO | 71 | 19 | 100 | $72,952 | $94,630 | ||||||
| Carleton College | MN | 82 | 21 | 100 | $69,761 | $93,352 | ||||||
| Boston College | MA | 88 | 17 | 100 | $56,400 | $91,714 | ||||||
| The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | NC | 84 | 16 | 100 | $19,064 | $27,766 | $70,420 | |||||
| Davidson College | NC | 86 | 14 | 100 | $66,738 | $89,540 | ||||||
| Washington and Lee University | VA | 89 | 14 | 100 | $75,159 | $95,500 | ||||||
| Pitzer College | CA | 57 | 26 | 100 | $61,090 | $93,168 | ||||||
| Vassar College | NY | 84 | 19 | 100 | $70,618 | $96,668 |
The information is based on freshman amounts. To see the entire number of 189 schools that meet 90% or more of financial need, create a free R2C Insights account. t
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