These Colleges Have the Most Generous Financial Aid Packages

The cost of attending a four-year college has never been higher. Tuition and fees, alone, reached $10,560 for in-state students at four-year public colleges in the 2020-21 academic year, and $37,650 for students at four-year private institutions, according to the College Board.

The Princeton Review recently surveyed more than 650 public and private colleges over the past two years to come up with a list of the schools with the best financial aid packages offered.

Here are the top 5 Public Schools for financial aid:

1. University of Virginia
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Sticker price (in-state): $29.983
Average need-based scholarship: $24,776
Total out-of-pocket cost: $5,207

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Sticker price (in-state): $20,515
Average need-based scholarship: $18,410
Total out-of-pocket cost: $2,105

3. Florida State University
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Sticker price (in-state): $16,986
Average need-based scholarship: $13,033
Total out-of-pocket cost: $3,953

4. University of Michigan — Ann Arbor
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Sticker price (in-state): $27,984
Average need-based scholarship: $21,665
Total out-of-pocket cost: $6,319

5. City University of New York — Hunter College
Location: Manhattan, New York
Sticker price (in-state): $21,098
Average need-based scholarship: $8,142
Total out-of-pocket cost: $12,956

Here are the Top 5 Private Schools for Financial Aid:

1. Vassar College
Location: Poughkeepsie, New York
Sticker price: $68,110
Average need-based scholarship: $49,190
Total out-of-pocket cost: $18,920

2. Princeton University
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Sticker price: $65,810
Average need-based scholarship: $53,572
Total out-of-pocket cost: $12,238

3. Yale University
Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Sticker price: $72,100
Average need-based scholarship: $56,602
Total out-of-pocket cost: $15,498

4. Pomona College
Location: Pomona, California
Sticker price: $71,980
Average need-based scholarship: $55,082
Total out-of-pocket cost: $16,898 

5. Vanderbilt University
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Sticker price: $68,980
Average need-based scholarship: $52,242
Total out-of-pocket cost: $16,738

Here is the link to their entire list: https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-value-colleges