Colleges Meeting 90% and More of Financial Need

Nov 11, 2019

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 particular, 41 schools on the list meet 90% or more of need and also have admissions rates of 40% or more.

In addition to looking at the percent of need met and the average need-based aid, data on graduation rates, % admitted, total price (in-state prices listed for public schools), and average net price by income range are provided.

You can sort the data by any column. It’s important to consider graduation rates, since each additional potential year of college adds significantly to the cost of a college education.

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 75% of the 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 EFC.

Our data is based on the latest IPEDs data and publicly available Common Data Set files that colleges publish on their websites.

Data on percent of financial need met comes from information in a college’s Common Data Set.

Not all colleges make this information public, so our college list may not be completely inclusive of all the appropriate schools.

Colleges Meeting 90% and More of Financial Need

Name	State Abbr	4 yr Grad Rate	5 yr Grad Rate	% Ad- mitted	Avg % of Need Met	Avg Need Based Award	Total Price (16-17)	Avg Net Price For Income $48,001-$75,000	Avg Net Price For Income $75,001-$110,000	Avg Net Price For Income over $110,000
University of Pikeville	KY	15	26	100	90	$18,081	$37,700	$20,476	$20,483	$20,153
Hendrix College	AR	64	69	77	90	$34,350	$58,120	$19,313	$24,535	$27,815
University of North Florida	FL	26	47	65	90	$6,515	$21,210	$13,535	$16,173	$19,244
Knox College	IL	69	75	65	90	$31,323	$54,515	$20,635	$23,832	$29,758
University of Massachusetts-Lowell	MA	32	52	61	90	$9,853	$29,002	$16,465	$19,120	$23,804
Whitman College	WA	83	87	51	90	$32,417	$61,972	$21,821	$28,061	$43,539
Gettysburg College	PA	84	86	43	90	$35,068	$64,500	$17,683	$26,782	$35,937
George Washington University	DC	76	82	40	90	$32,167	$67,225	$26,883	$29,667	$44,178
American University	DC	76	80	26	90	$30,045	$62,272	$26,394	$31,693	$46,282
Dalton State College	GA	5	15		90	$3,500	$15,206	$11,250	$9,388	$10,645
Oral Roberts University	OK	47	55	68	91	$17,314	$39,760	$20,853	$22,269	$25,267
Allegheny College	PA	70	75	68	91	$36,480	$58,920	$21,123	$25,862	$30,943
DePauw University	IN	78	83	65	91	$38,681	$60,888	$18,006	$22,112	$30,797
Sewanee-The University of the South	TN	79	82	44	91	$28,705	$57,450	$20,042	$21,154	$35,101
Bucknell University	PA	84	88	30	91	$29,200	$67,600	$24,514	$29,983	$46,785
Ithaca College	NY	66	74	70	92	$28,655	$59,918	$30,696	$33,703	$40,717
Luther College	IA	72	78	68	92	$30,804	$52,595	$22,099	$25,051	$28,416
Gustavus Adolphus College	MN	78	79	65	92	$32,990	$54,280	$15,979	$25,476	$27,946
Westminster College	MO	56	63	65	92	$18,575	$38,650	$19,507	$20,122	$22,512
San Jose State University	CA	11	44	53	92	$12,461	$27,039	$15,681	$18,809	$22,068
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology	NY	26	53		92	$11,354	$45,405	$32,205	$25,315	$32,956
Albion College	MI	61	70	72	93	$40,241	$54,150	$15,786	$24,740	$27,298
Clark University	MA	71	75	55	93	$27,747	$53,350	$20,467	$20,750	$32,680
Fort Valley State University	GA	8	20	26	93	$6,510	$20,044	$16,582	$18,681	$16,916
Valparaiso University	IN	54	64	83	94	$28,968	$51,190	$19,566	$22,324	$25,873
Earlham College	IN	65	69	58	94	$38,564	$57,870	$21,256	$21,635	$32,756
Rhodes College	TN	76	79	54	94	$31,593	$59,754	$24,675	$24,824	$31,385
Beloit College	WI	64	71	70	95	$32,586	$57,506	$9,213	$24,994	$19,701
Wheaton College	MA	76	79	67	95	$32,620	$63,512	$27,031	$26,835	$36,365
Hampshire College	MA	51	63	64	95	$38,891	$65,212	$22,643	$31,158	$44,324
Brandeis University	MA	83	87	33	95	$40,150	$68,125	$26,730	$26,514	$48,839
Southwestern Oklahoma State University	OK	17	29	91	96	$1,491	$19,518	$12,225	$13,827	$15,308
SUNY College at Potsdam	NY	35	49	72	96	$9,812	$23,394	$17,231	$18,351	$20,818
Kalamazoo College	MI	73	80	66	96	$34,678	$57,116	$17,916	$24,806	$31,198
Lawrence University	WI	64	78	63	96	$36,619	$56,823	$21,074	$24,545	$32,056
Walla Walla University	WA	24	46	62	96	$5,605	$38,133	$22,037	$23,966	$26,322
Southwestern University	TX	66	71	45	96	$30,013	$52,650	$19,789	$25,045	$29,335
University of Miami	FL	70	80	38	96	$32,486	$64,306	$23,046	$34,005	$37,351
Lehigh University	PA	77	88	26	96	$41,234	$63,075	$18,432	$28,417	$45,419
Valdosta State University	GA	16	32	65	97	$6,862	$20,403	$16,820	$16,828	$17,450
Wabash College	IN	64	71	63	97	$34,044	$53,150	$16,151	$25,171	$30,573
Trinity University	TX	68	76	41	97	$30,334	$54,714	$15,470	$25,211	$31,747
Northeastern State University	OK	9	21	94	98	$7,417	$16,833	$10,389	$11,872	$12,283
Berea College	KY	48	61	33	98	$31,803	$35,042	$6,805	$5,351	$34,980
Tulane University of Louisiana	LA	72	82	26	98	$32,702	$67,114	$27,623	$31,907	$41,845
University of Florida	FL	67	84	46	99	$7,711	$21,251	$8,732	$11,381	$16,950
St Olaf College	MN	85	88	45	99	$32,991	$56,160	$15,816	$23,307	$34,295
Dickinson College	PA	81	84	43	99	$40,052	$66,779	$17,286	$27,738	$41,768
University of Dayton	OH	59	74	60	100	$28,208	$56,370	$25,546	$32,471	$32,428
Mount Holyoke College	MA	78	83	52	100	$37,011	$61,206	$17,552	$25,012	$34,710
Occidental College	CA	76	81	46	100	$41,801	$69,442	$17,877	$28,448	$44,977
Bryn Mawr College	PA	78	82	40	100	$41,321	$66,160	$17,319	$26,616	$41,012
College of the Holy Cross	MA	89	92	38	100	$36,511	$64,065	$17,426	$28,718	$44,629
Macalester College	MN	84	87	37	100	$42,208	$64,007	$17,423	$24,111	$38,132
Union College	NY	81	87	37	100	$36,393	$66,360	$20,847	$27,861	$41,037
Smith College	MA	86	88	37	100	$43,839	$66,647	$17,814	$25,227	$41,073
Franklin and Marshall College	PA	83	86	36	100	$44,761	$67,880	$16,408	$28,337	$45,393
Connecticut College	CT	81	84	35	100	$39,698	$67,000	$23,651	$26,844	$42,811
Trinity College	CT	80	84	34	100	$44,394	$68,940	$14,032	$23,584	$43,062
University of Richmond	VA	84	88	32	100	$40,204	$63,040	$14,515	$24,851	$40,438
Reed College	OR	66	76	31	100	$37,665	$67,250	$17,437	$22,565	$39,301
University of Virginia-Main Campus	VA	88	93	30	100	$21,517	$31,186	$14,374	$21,964	$27,814
Scripps College	CA	80	84	30	100	$35,730	$68,464	$22,738	$25,661	$42,350
Wake Forest University	NC	84	87	30	100	$42,637	$66,512	$13,521	$29,042	$44,330
Northeastern University	MA	0	83	29	100	$34,803	$65,503	$17,573	$31,239	$40,453
Wellesley College	MA	83	89	29	100	$48,433	$65,966	$12,581	$22,141	$42,274
Colgate University	NY	85	89	29	100	$48,355	$67,290	$17,589	$19,989	$42,628
Skidmore College	NY	85	88	29	100	$41,900	$67,000	$15,261	$21,866	$47,352
Oberlin College	OH	71	84	28	100	$37,998	$68,670	$24,134	$24,241	$42,076
Lafayette College	PA	85	88	28	100	$44,113	$66,105	$21,404	$26,343	$46,329
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	84	90	27	100	$17,240	$24,898	$12,074	$18,954	$23,197
Vassar College	NY	87	90	27	100	$46,243	$67,740	$12,188	$18,427	$36,810
Kenyon College	OH	89	90	27	100	$43,736	$66,670	$15,911	$23,146	$41,962
Hamilton College	NY	89	91	26	100	$43,936	$65,750	$9,788	$20,882	$40,022
Washington and Lee University	VA	88	89	24	100	$40,072	$63,500	$8,962	$17,605	$34,627
Carleton College	MN	88	91	23	100	$42,019	$66,490	$14,682	$22,941	$38,398
Bates College	ME	84	87	23	100	$44,063	$66,550	$12,108	$21,523	$38,977
Haverford College	PA	86	90	21	100	$46,398	$69,387	$12,110	$25,956	$42,279
Grinnell College	IA	81	84	20	100	$41,090	$63,838	$17,563	$22,792	$35,726
Davidson College	NC	91	95	20	100	$43,859	$64,698	$11,982	$17,498	$39,244
Colby College	ME	84	89	19	100	$43,762	$65,824	$17,088	$24,111	$37,890
University of Notre Dame	IN	90	95	19	100	$39,044	$67,043	$14,893	$23,099	$40,922
Williams College	MA	86	93	18	100	$50,286	$68,430	$10,448	$16,899	$42,003
Wesleyan University	CT	87	91	18	100	$47,653	$67,527	$11,996	$25,474	$42,819
Barnard College	NY	82	90	17	100	$46,876	$68,512	$16,092	$22,360	$41,048
Washington University in St Louis	MO	88	93	17	100	$43,839	$69,754	$13,208	$28,458	$44,102
Georgetown University	DC	90	94	17	100	$41,492	$69,313	$15,540	$23,967	$48,345
University of Southern California	CA	77	90	17	100	$36,995	$69,711	$21,751	$32,515	$51,147
Middlebury College	VT	85	92	16	100	$47,092	$66,332	$13,966	$17,448	$38,052
Colorado College	CO	82	86	16	100	$47,140	$66,400	$4,349	$22,688	$44,605
Bowdoin College	ME	89	94	15	100	$42,165	$65,590	$11,057	$19,367	$34,142
Rice University	TX	83	91	15	100	$37,253	$60,518	$10,080	$22,683	$38,701
Pitzer College	CA	83	87	14	100	$42,956	$68,192	$14,904	$22,781	$41,949
Amherst College	MA	86	92	14	100	$52,482	$68,986	$13,268	$20,406	$43,142
Cornell University	NY	87	93	14	100	$40,333	$67,613	$15,456	$26,486	$46,258
Tufts University	MA	87	91	14	100	$42,971	$68,190	$18,872	$24,260	$47,538
Swarthmore College	PA	88	93	13	100	$46,897	$66,549	$12,638	$23,368	$37,004
Harvey Mudd College	CA	85	91	13	100	$41,649	$71,917	$25,102	$18,643	$42,967
Vanderbilt University	TN	87	91	11	100	$48,559	$64,654	$8,451	$14,835	$32,921
Northwestern University	IL	84	92	11	100	$42,976	$70,496	$12,763	$28,038	$40,222
Dartmouth College	NH	88	95	11	100	$51,461	$69,474	$10,048	$19,568	$44,204
Duke University	NC	86	93	11	100	$46,370	$69,169	$7,880	$25,085	$48,925
University of Pennsylvania	PA	85	93	9	100	$45,711	$69,340	$12,322	$19,870	$37,370
Pomona College	CA	92	97	9	100	$50,686	$67,357	$6,975	$13,363	$37,440
Claremont McKenna College	CA	86	92	9	100	$49,208	$69,385	$18,096	$20,675	$43,992
Brown University	RI	84	94	9	100	$43,186	$68,106	$12,697	$22,282	$44,695
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	MA	84	91	8	100	$42,351	$65,478	$8,633	$17,992	$42,237
California Institute of Technology	CA	81	89	8	100	$44,074	$66,774	$6,781	$20,077	$42,977
Princeton University	NJ	89	96	7	100	$49,870	$63,690	$4,557	$16,967	$32,706
Yale University	CT	86	96	6	100	$52,831	$68,950	$6,551	$16,229	$36,367
Stanford University	CA	75	89	5	100	$47,664	$66,696	$4,061	$18,212	$39,853
Harvard University	MA	86	96	5	100	$47,053	$66,900	$6,577	$21,958	$44,238

Due to lack of consistent sources, the data in this chart is from multiple years. IPEDS data (graduation rate, total price, and average net price) is from ’16-’17. Common Data Set information (% of need met, average need aid) is from the most recent year of public available data. The information is based on freshmen amounts. Average net price is based on information for families that have filed FAFSA and may not be as representative of average net price for families with incomes greater than $110k if a large percent of higher income families have not filed FAFSA.

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Road2College

Debbie Schwartz is former financial services executive and founder of Road2College and the Paying For College 101 Facebook group. She's dedicated to providing families with trustworthy information about college admissions and paying for college. With data, tools and access to experts she's helping families become educated consumers of higher ed.

TAGS Cost of Attendance Merit Scholarships Public Universities