If you’re a family that won’t qualify for need-based aid, it’s time to start looking for colleges with the best merit scholarships. Colleges give this merit aid based on academic performance and sometimes on special talents like sports and music. This article lists the top merit aid colleges and explains how to find ones that best fit your situation.
What Colleges Give the Most Merit Aid or Merit Scholarships?
We used our R2C Insights tool to find colleges with merit scholarships and ranked them by the amount of merit aid they gave to freshmen who did not have any financial need (as determined by the college).
R2C Insights has a lot of data on merit awards that can help you build a smart college list. The data in the two tables below comes from the Common Data Set, which R2C Insights breaks down for users. The tool also provides our crowdsourcing of actual financial aid offers.
Do Colleges Automatically Consider You for Merit Scholarships?
Yes, many colleges automatically consider students for merit scholarships when they apply through the Common App or directly. Examples include the University of Alabama, Baylor University, the University of South Florida, Texas Tech, and the University of Iowa.
Top 30 Colleges That Award the Largest Merit Scholarships
| Name | % Freshmen w/out Need Receiving Merit Aid (2022-23) | Avg Merit Aid for Freshmen w/out Need (2022-23) |
|---|---|---|
| Duke University | 3 | $78,610 |
| Swarthmore College | 1% | $45,110 |
| Washington and Lee University | 11% | $43,818 |
| University of Richmond | 31% | $42,538 |
| Beloit College | 99% | $41,660 |
| Bard College | 10% | $40,474 |
| Albion College | 100% | $39,697 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 10% | $39,328 |
| The University of Tulsa | 83% | $39,152 |
| Susquehanna University | 98% | $36,317 |
| Kalamazoo College | 96% | $36,009 |
| Clarkson University | 100% | $35,794 |
| Davidson College | 6% | $35,549 |
| Washington & Jefferson College | 100% | $34,857 |
| Georgetown College | 63% | $34,280 |
| The College of Wooster | 98% | $33,902 |
| Washington College | 100% | $33,834 |
| Babson College | 6% | $33,519 |
| Wheaton College (MA) | 50% | $33,421 |
| University of Redlands | 50% | $33,389 |
| Ursinus College | 97% | $33,247 |
| Coe College | 98% | $33,182 |
| Washington University, St. Louis | 6% | $32,844 |
| Simpson College | 100% | $32,534 |
| Lebanon Valley College | 98% | $32,257 |
| Centre College | 98% | $32,217 |
| St. Catherine University | 96% | $32,101 |
| Wabash College | 100% | $31,853 |
| Hartwick College | 11% | $31,823 |
| Lawrence University | 99% | $31,503 |
R2C Insights can help you discover schools that are generous with merit scholarships and fit the criteria most important to your student. You’ll not only save precious time, but they’ll avoid the heartache of applying to schools they aren’t likely to get into or can’t afford to attend. Create a free trial R2C Insights account here.
For the second chart, we selected colleges giving the most merit scholarships to at least half of freshmen without financial need. Also, keep in mind that much of this aid is renewable in subsequent years.
Top 30 Colleges for Merit Aid to at Least 50% of Freshman Without Need
Name State SAT 75th Percentile (2022-23) ACT 75th Percentile (2022-23) % Freshmen w/out Need Receiving Merit Aid (2022-23) Avg Merit Aid for Freshmen w/out Need (2022-23)
Beloit College WI 1360 31 99% $41,660
Albion College MI NA NA 100% $39,697
The University of Tulsa OK 1360 30 83% $39,152
Susquehanna University PA 1250 28 98% $36,317
Kalamazoo College MI 1200 26 96% $36,009
Clarkson University NY 1360 30 100% $35,794
Washington & Jefferson College PA 1290 31 100% $34,857
Georgetown College KY 1210 24 63% $34,280
The College of Wooster OH 1430 32 98% $33,902
Washington College MD 1370 29 100% $33,834
Wheaton College (MA) MA 1340 33 50% $33,421
University of Redlands CA 1300 29 50% $33,389
Ursinus College PA 1370 32 97% $33,247
Coe College IA 1270 28 98% $33,182
Simpson College IA 1440 33 100% $32,534
Lebanon Valley College PA 1278 31 98% $32,257
Centre College KY 1380 32 98% $32,217
St. Catherine University MN 1170 25 96% $32,101
Wabash College IN 1320 30 100% $31,853
Lawrence University WI 1440 32 99% $31,503
Widener University PA 1270 29 97% $31,300
Agnes Scott College GA 1340 31 100% $31,127
Cornell College IA 1320 30 99% $30,950
Ohio Wesleyan University OH 1323 29 99% $30,854
Hollins University VA 1330 30 100% $30,658
Illinois Wesleyan University IL 1330 30 93% $30,636
Whittier College CA 1290 30 95% $30,466
Lycoming College PA 1250 25 98% $30,445
Whitworth University WA 1330 27 97% $30,430
Ripon College WI NA NA 97% $30,216
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Other Articles You Might Like:
Colleges Offering Merit to 95%+ of Students Without Need
How to Get Merit Scholarships: Complete Guide and Search Tool
What Exactly Is ‘Good Merit’ and How Do I Keep It Once I’ve Got It?
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