Colleges Offering Merit Aid to 95%+ of Students Without Need

By Road2College

Colleges Offering Merit Aid to 95%+ of Students Without Need

By Road2College

Published September 4, 2019

If you’re a family that won’t qualify for need-based aid, it’s time to start looking for merit scholarships.

What Are Merit Scholarships?

Merit-based aid is money colleges award that is not based on any financial need.

These scholarships are usually awarded based on academic performance and sometimes based on special talents in athletics, sports, the arts, etc.

[What’s The Difference Between Need and Merit-Based Financial Aid]

If a school determines your family does not have a financial need (even though you may not agree), your student can still be awarded merit aid.

Not all colleges award merit aid, so it’s important to know which schools do award merit-based scholarships to a large percentage of their freshmen class.

[Review Strategies For Getting Niche And Local Scholarships]

Using Data to Find Merit Scholarships

We did a sort of our database of colleges and ranked them by the percent of students, without financial need, who received merit-based scholarships.

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

Data on merit scholarships primarily comes from information in a college’s Common Data Set.

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

But for the purpose of giving a glimpse into the colleges that award merit scholarships to the greatest percentage of students, this is a good start.

In addition to looking at what percent of students without need receive merit aid, data on graduation rates, average size of merit aid, and total price is also included.

You can sort the data by any column. It’s important to remember that just because a college offers merit aid to a large percentage of freshmen, doesn’t mean the amount they offer is significant enough compared to the total cost of the college.

In addition, it’s important to consider graduation rates. Most schools only offer merit aid for four years, so graduating in five years or longer can add significant expense.

[Check out How To Use Data To Find Merit Scholarships]

Name	State	Type	4 yr Grad- uation Rate	5 yr Grad- uation Rate	% Fresh- men W/out Need	% Freshmen W/out Need Receiving Merit Aid	Avg Merit Award for Freshmen W/out Need	Total Price 16-17 (Out-of-State Students)	Common Data Set Year
Abilene Christian University	TX	Private	48	61	24	114	$12,937	$45,980	2016-17
University of Utah	UT	Public	29	53	50	111	$7,276	$41,355	2017-18
Ferrum College	VA	Private	19	29	2	110	$11,802	$45,480	2016-17
Westminster College	MO	Private	56	63	31	107	$10,864	$38,650	2014-15
DePauw University	IN	Private	78	83	34	107	$24,251	$60,888	2017-18
George Fox University	OR	Private	56	63	22	105	$14,413	$47,328	2017-18
Malone University	OH	Private	45	52	12	104	$14,850	$42,650	2017-18
Schreiner University	TX	Private	42	45	16	100	$9,977	$37,231	2015-16
Drury University	MO	Private	46	53	31	100	$10,765	$38,341	2017-18
Barton College	NC	Private	37	49	10	100	$11,557	$44,286	2017-18
Central College	IA	Private	58	64	13	100	$12,893	$49,214	2016-17
Seton Hill University	PA	Private	43	55	14	100	$12,918	$48,470	2015-16
Saint John Fisher College	NY	Private	65	72	16	100	$13,272	$46,120	2017-18
Mount Vernon Nazarene University	OH	Private	56	57	11	100	$13,799	$39,166	2016-17
Mount Mary University	WI	Private	26	39	9	100	$13,973	$43,850	2016-17
Oberlin College	OH	Private	71	84	46	100	$16,847	$68,670	2017-18
Wheeling Jesuit University	WV	Private	48	57	15	100	$17,087	$39,006	2016-17
Mount Saint Mary's University	CA	Private	49	61	4	100	$17,739	$56,455	2017-18
Goshen College	IN	Private	56	66	15	100	$17,970	$46,300	2017-18
California Lutheran University	CA	Private	67	73	23	100	$19,444	$57,912	2016-17
Cardinal Stritch University	WI	Private	27	50	38	100	$19,678	$41,844	2017-18
Lenoir-Rhyne University	NC	Private	35	45	10	100	$19,779	$49,340	2017-18
Luther College	IA	Private	72	78	18	100	$20,486	$52,595	2017-18
Nazareth College	NY	Private	58	67	13	100	$20,933	$48,299	2017-18
Cazenovia College	NY	Private	41	43	3	100	$21,011	$48,820	2017-18
Wittenberg University	OH	Private	62	67	15	100	$21,589	$51,416	2016-17
Capital University	OH	Private	53	59	15	100	$22,863	$47,140	2017-18
Hollins University	VA	Private	50	53	16	100	$25,759	$52,435	2015-16
Beloit College	WI	Private	64	71	38	100	$25,897	$57,506	2016-17
Wabash College	IN	Private	64	71	18	100	$28,340	$53,150	2017-18
Agnes Scott College	GA	Private	66	69	16	100	$29,363	$51,992	2017-18
Lipscomb University	TN	Private	48	56	32	99	$12,865	$46,046	2016-17
Bethel University	MN	Private	68	75	20	99	$15,500	$48,986	2017-18
Messiah College	PA	Private	73	76	24	99	$15,583	$46,590	2016-17
University of Puget Sound	WA	Private	70	78	42	99	$16,832	$61,652	2016-17
University of Dayton	OH	Private	59	74	31	99	$17,549	$56,370	2017-18
Southwestern University	TX	Private	66	71	33	99	$22,126	$52,650	2016-17
Neumann University	PA	Private	30	49	12	98	$10,120	$44,196	2016-17
Aurora University	IL	Private	41	56	14	98	$11,637	$36,068	2016-17
Point Park University	PA	Private	51	57	10	98	$13,160	$36,068	2015-16
Palm Beach Atlantic University	FL	Private	40	49	20	98	$13,237	$44,004	2017-18
Baldwin Wallace University	OH	Private	54	66	18	98	$14,011	$44,646	2016-17
Houston Baptist University	TX	Private	25	40	19	98	$14,160	$43,832	2016-17
Hardin-Simmons University	TX	Private	37	52	15	98	$15,249	$37,944	2017-18
Hamline University	MN	Private	51	58	10	98	$15,898	$50,755	2016-17
University of La Verne	CA	Private	48	64	13	98	$16,896	$57,849	2014-15
Goucher College	MD	Private	48	60	27	98	$19,581	$59,416	2017-18
John Carroll University	OH	Private	65	75	24	98	$21,195	$53,740	2016-17
Alma College	MI	Private	56	65	13	98	$21,206	$50,613	2015-16
Lebanon Valley College	PA	Private	72	75	13	98	$21,402	$54,930	2017-18
University of Detroit Mercy	MI	Private	45	64	31	98	$22,176	$53,574	2016-17
Bridgewater College	VA	Private	58	65	14	98	$22,511	$47,940	2017-18
Augustana College	IL	Private	71	76	23	98	$23,237	$51,858	2017-18
Allegheny College	PA	Private	70	75	19	98	$25,905	$58,920	2017-18
Mississippi State University	MS	Public	32	54	29	97	$4,036	$36,702	2017-18
Walla Walla University	WA	Private	24	46	31	97	$10,457	$38,133	2016-17
Texas Wesleyan University	TX	Private	17	25	46	97	$11,231	$41,530	2016-17
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology	IN	Private	69	80	37	97	$11,758	$62,503	2016-17
Covenant College	GA	Private	59	65	27	97	$13,034	$44,700	2016-17
Hobart William Smith Colleges	NY	Private	72	76	33	97	$13,688	$67,316	2016-17
Eckerd College	FL	Private	61	66	31	97	$16,285	$57,162	2017-18
Gordon College	MA	Private	61	69	27	97	$16,886	$48,672	2017-18
Elizabethtown College	PA	Private	69	74	20	97	$17,589	$56,200	2011-12
Xavier University	OH	Private	62	71	32	97	$18,351	$50,880	2016-17
Juniata College	PA	Private	72	75	28	97	$19,204	$56,010	2014-15
Trinity University	TX	Private	68	76	49	97	$20,388	$54,714	2016-17
Austin College	TX	Private	69	73	25	97	$24,114	$52,047	2017-18
Hendrix College	AR	Private	64	69	17	97	$27,435	$58,120	2016-17
Lycoming College	PA	Private	59	69	12	97	$28,502	$51,652	2017-18
Albion College	MI	Private	61	70	13	97	$28,917	$54,150	2017-18
California State University-Northridge	CA	Public	10	36	15	96	$1,173	$31,649	2015-16
Wentworth Institute of Technology	MA	Private	47	63	22	96	$4,716	$52,504	2016-17
Calvin College	MI	Private	62	75	30	96	$10,663	$45,270	2015-16
Averett University	VA	Private	34	41	13	96	$13,144	$44,336	2014-15
Saint Ambrose University	IA	Private	53	63	16	96	$14,455	$43,503	2017-18
Marquette University	WI	Private	60	79	36	96	$15,206	$53,485	2017-18
Hampden-Sydney College	VA	Private	60	65	30	96	$20,519	$59,248	2016-17
Kalamazoo College	MI	Private	73	80	20	96	$20,728	$57,116	2017-18
Centre College	KY	Private	85	86	35	96	$23,084	$52,460	2017-18
Bellarmine University	KY	Private	53	62	15	96	$25,298	$57,794	2016-17
University of Maine	ME	Public	36	55	30	95	$6,073	$42,862	2016-17
Oklahoma Christian University	OK	Private	33	47	34	95	$7,184	$32,570	2016-17
Drexel University	PA	Private	27	66	30	95	$14,619	$71,375	2016-17
Hillsdale College	MI	Private	73	83	46	95	$15,192	$38,922	2016-17
Ohio Northern University	OH	Private	60	72	19	95	$16,160	$44,728	2016-17
Eastern Mennonite University	VA	Private	47	60	14	95	$16,738	$47,600	2016-17
Saint Michael's College	VT	Private	73	78	28	95	$17,100	$55,455	2016-17
DeSales University	PA	Private	59	67	20	95	$17,423	$50,760	2016-17
Linfield College-McMinnville Campus	OR	Private	57	69	19	95	$19,324	$54,730	2016-17
Pacific University	OR	Private	48	57	13	95	$20,244	$55,606	2016-17
Willamette University	OR	Private	70	77	30	95	$22,438	$60,999	2016-17
Lawrence University	WI	Private	64	78	31	95	$23,151	$56,823	2017-18

Due to lack of consistent sources, the data in this chart is from multiple years. IPEDS data (graduation rate and total price) is from ’16-’17. Common Data Set information (freshmen w/o need and average merit award) is from the most recent year of publically available data. Percentages that are over 100% may come from mistakes in information that is self-reported by colleges.

Looking for Generous Colleges for YOUR Student?

If you’re looking for colleges that will be generous to YOUR student, we recommend you check out our College Insights tool.

It will provide you with a list of schools that will be most generous with their money based on your child’s stats and preferences.

All the information is in one place, so you don’t have to hop from college website to college website in order to find what you’re looking for.

Try our College Insights tool today!

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Colleges Offering Merit Aid to 95%+ of Students Without Need

Colleges Offering Merit Aid to 95%+ of Students Without Need

What Are Merit Scholarships?

Using Data to Find Merit Scholarships

Looking for Generous Colleges for YOUR Student?

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