Paying for a Catholic college

The published price of a private Catholic college can be startling. Most families pay far less, because colleges, the federal government, and states give grants that never have to be repaid. Here is how to find what a college will really cost you.

Sticker price and net price

The sticker price (cost of attendance) is tuition, fees, housing, food, books, and other costs before any aid. The net price is what is left after grants and scholarships. Every school page on the Compass shows the federal average net price, and our list of Catholic colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price shows how large the gap can be.

Every college that takes federal student aid must post a net price calculator on its website. Spend fifteen minutes with the calculator of each college on your list: it uses your family’s income and gives a much better estimate than any average.

The forms that unlock aid

• The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is required for federal grants and loans, and most colleges use it for their own aid too. File it as soon as it opens for the year you will enroll.
• The CSS Profile is required by some private colleges for their own grants. Check each college’s financial aid page.
• Each college sets its own deadlines, often earlier than admission deadlines. Missing one can cost real money.

Scholarships for Catholic students

Many Catholic colleges offer scholarships for graduates of Catholic high schools, for students active in a parish, or for leadership in campus ministry and service. Ask each admission office what it offers. Outside the college, look at your parish, your diocese, and Catholic fraternal organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, several of which fund scholarships for students at Catholic colleges.

Compare more than the price

A lower price is not always the better value. Each school page also shows the share of students who graduate, typical debt at graduation, and earnings ten years after starting, all from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard. Cost never changes a school’s grade on the Compass.

• Lowest net price for middle-income families
• Catholic colleges under $20,000 a year after aid
• Catholic colleges with the lowest student debt
• Best earnings for the price
• Best value Catholic colleges

Next steps

• Use Find my school and choose a cost range to see colleges that fit your budget.
• Put two to four colleges side by side in Compare to see price, debt, and outcomes together.