Data story

    The sticker-to-net-price gap by state

    What a year at a four-year college costs before aid, what aided first-year students pay on average after grants, and how far apart the two are in each state.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard and IPEDS, reporting year 2025 · 1,446 colleges · Updated November 4, 2026

    Download CSVEmbed this chart

    Ask AI:ChatGPTClaude

    At a glance

    Median cost of attendance
    $39,947
    The sticker price for one year at the typical college, before any aid.
    Median average net price
    $19,830
    What aided first-year students pay on average after grants and scholarships.
    Median gap
    $17,700
    How much grant aid takes off the sticker price at the median college.
    States covered
    47
    Including D.C.; 4 states had too few colleges to report.

    College Scorecard, data year 2025

    Key findings

    1. Across 1,446 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges, the median cost of attendance is $39,947 and the median average net price is $19,830. The median college's gap between the two is $17,700.

    2. Vermont has the widest median gap, $40,833 across 9 colleges; Montana has the narrowest, $5,210 across 9 colleges.

    3. The median average net price is highest in Rhode Island ($37,087) and lowest in West Virginia ($11,350).

    See every state

    Widest and narrowest median gaps

    Widest

    Vermont
    $40,833
    Massachusetts
    $34,819
    Rhode Island
    $32,492
    Pennsylvania
    $31,985
    District of Columbia
    $31,549

    Narrowest

    Montana
    $5,210
    South Dakota
    $6,812
    North Dakota
    $8,162
    Utah
    $8,199
    Georgia
    $10,410
    Median gap between cost of attendance and average net price, on one scale. College Scorecard, data year 2025.

    Every state, side by side

    The dark dot is what a year costs before aid; the light dot is what aided first-year students pay on average. The longer the line, the more grant aid closes the distance.

    Median average net price at four-year colleges, by state, 2026–27

    Embed this map

    Free to use on your site, newsletter or class page. The map shows its title, legend, source and the CollegesRef name, and updates when the data does.

    Size
    Theme

    Preview the embed

    Median average net price, dollars per year

    • $11.3k–$16k
    • $16k–$18k
    • $18k–$20k
    • $20k–$22k
    • $22k–$37.1k
    • Not reported

    Source: CollegesRef analysis of U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data. Hover or tab to a state for details; select it to open its colleges.

    Cost of attendance vs average net price, by state

    • Median average net price
    • Median cost of attendance
    • Distance between them
    1. All reported$17,700All reported: median cost of attendance $39,947, median average net price $19,830, median gap $17,700.
    2. Vermont$40,833Vermont: median cost of attendance $69,043, median average net price $31,387, median gap $40,833.
    3. Massachusetts$34,819Massachusetts: median cost of attendance $64,601, median average net price $26,309, median gap $34,819.
    4. Rhode Island$32,492Rhode Island: median cost of attendance $69,151, median average net price $37,087, median gap $32,492.
    5. Pennsylvania$31,985Pennsylvania: median cost of attendance $56,456, median average net price $24,806, median gap $31,985.
    6. D.C.$31,549District of Columbia: median cost of attendance $67,798, median average net price $32,773, median gap $31,549.
    7. New Jersey$31,275New Jersey: median cost of attendance $44,513, median average net price $18,457, median gap $31,275.
    8. Iowa$29,380Iowa: median cost of attendance $53,336, median average net price $22,894, median gap $29,380.
    9. Illinois$27,314Illinois: median cost of attendance $46,137, median average net price $18,143, median gap $27,314.
    10. California$26,714California: median cost of attendance $47,842, median average net price $22,597, median gap $26,714.
    11. Connecticut$25,922Connecticut: median cost of attendance $58,797, median average net price $28,356, median gap $25,922.
    12. New York$25,471New York: median cost of attendance $48,271, median average net price $21,674, median gap $25,471.
    13. Indiana$24,985Indiana: median cost of attendance $44,140, median average net price $18,728, median gap $24,985.
    14. Oregon$24,795Oregon: median cost of attendance $48,645, median average net price $22,547, median gap $24,795.
    15. Kansas$24,346Kansas: median cost of attendance $47,792, median average net price $20,443, median gap $24,346.
    16. Wisconsin$24,047Wisconsin: median cost of attendance $47,431, median average net price $20,293, median gap $24,047.
    17. North Carolina$22,984North Carolina: median cost of attendance $41,964, median average net price $19,783, median gap $22,984.
    18. Kentucky$21,689Kentucky: median cost of attendance $42,017, median average net price $17,991, median gap $21,689.
    19. Minnesota$21,614Minnesota: median cost of attendance $46,955, median average net price $21,935, median gap $21,614.
    20. Michigan$21,521Michigan: median cost of attendance $37,717, median average net price $17,562, median gap $21,521.
    21. Virginia$21,416Virginia: median cost of attendance $43,585, median average net price $22,206, median gap $21,416.
    22. Ohio$21,167Ohio: median cost of attendance $45,177, median average net price $20,633, median gap $21,167.
    23. Arizona$20,543Arizona: median cost of attendance $41,648, median average net price $20,995, median gap $20,543.
    24. Tennessee$17,335Tennessee: median cost of attendance $39,109, median average net price $18,130, median gap $17,335.
    25. Nebraska$17,078Nebraska: median cost of attendance $36,469, median average net price $19,269, median gap $17,078.
    26. Maryland$16,922Maryland: median cost of attendance $40,225, median average net price $19,294, median gap $16,922.
    27. Washington$16,307Washington: median cost of attendance $32,722, median average net price $21,201, median gap $16,307.
    28. Missouri$15,487Missouri: median cost of attendance $36,814, median average net price $19,136, median gap $15,487.
    29. South Carolina$15,442South Carolina: median cost of attendance $34,475, median average net price $19,990, median gap $15,442.
    30. New Hampshire$13,722New Hampshire: median cost of attendance $41,229, median average net price $24,059, median gap $13,722.
    31. West Virginia$13,696West Virginia: median cost of attendance $24,890, median average net price $11,350, median gap $13,696.
    32. New Mexico$13,291New Mexico: median cost of attendance $24,657, median average net price $17,550, median gap $13,291.
    33. Texas$13,216Texas: median cost of attendance $30,052, median average net price $16,577, median gap $13,216.
    34. Florida$12,805Florida: median cost of attendance $25,821, median average net price $15,350, median gap $12,805.
    35. Colorado$12,527Colorado: median cost of attendance $29,161, median average net price $18,422, median gap $12,527.
    36. Louisiana$12,296Louisiana: median cost of attendance $25,426, median average net price $13,357, median gap $12,296.
    37. Maine$11,938Maine: median cost of attendance $31,940, median average net price $19,835, median gap $11,938.
    38. Idaho$11,562Idaho: median cost of attendance $25,661, median average net price $15,321, median gap $11,562.
    39. Alabama$11,307Alabama: median cost of attendance $28,880, median average net price $18,255, median gap $11,307.
    40. Oklahoma$11,185Oklahoma: median cost of attendance $27,936, median average net price $15,743, median gap $11,185.
    41. Hawaii$11,090Hawaii: median cost of attendance $25,270, median average net price $17,608, median gap $11,090.
    42. Arkansas$11,070Arkansas: median cost of attendance $28,340, median average net price $17,192, median gap $11,070.
    43. Mississippi$10,425Mississippi: median cost of attendance $28,433, median average net price $16,435, median gap $10,425.
    44. Georgia$10,410Georgia: median cost of attendance $28,586, median average net price $15,911, median gap $10,410.
    45. Utah$8,199Utah: median cost of attendance $22,600, median average net price $15,478, median gap $8,199.
    46. North Dakota$8,162North Dakota: median cost of attendance $23,198, median average net price $14,856, median gap $8,162.
    47. South Dakota$6,812South Dakota: median cost of attendance $26,484, median average net price $20,691, median gap $6,812.
    48. Montana$5,210Montana: median cost of attendance $26,512, median average net price $21,302, median gap $5,210.
    Each row is one state's medians across its four-year public and private nonprofit colleges, sorted by median gap (right column), widest first. The median gap is the median of each college's own gap, so it can differ slightly from the distance between the two dots. Source: CollegesRef analysis of U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, data year 2025.

    Full table

    Select a column heading to sort. Each figure is the median across a state's colleges; the gap is the median of each college's own gap.

    Median cost of attendance, average net price and gap by state. Select a column heading to sort.
    Vermont2 public · 7 private9$69,043$31,387$40,833
    Massachusetts12 public · 47 private59$64,601$26,309$34,819
    Rhode Island2 public · 8 private10$69,151$37,087$32,492
    Pennsylvania15 public · 70 private85$56,456$24,806$31,985
    District of Columbia1 public · 7 private8$67,798$32,773$31,549
    New Jersey12 public · 14 private26$44,513$18,457$31,275
    Iowa2 public · 23 private25$53,336$22,894$29,380
    Illinois12 public · 36 private48$46,137$18,143$27,314
    California32 public · 51 private83$47,842$22,597$26,714
    Connecticut6 public · 15 private21$58,797$28,356$25,922
    New York40 public · 64 private104$48,271$21,674$25,471
    Indiana13 public · 24 private37$44,140$18,728$24,985
    Oregon7 public · 10 private17$48,645$22,547$24,795
    Kansas7 public · 17 private24$47,792$20,443$24,346
    Wisconsin13 public · 18 private31$47,431$20,293$24,047
    North Carolina15 public · 38 private53$41,964$19,783$22,984
    Kentucky5 public · 16 private21$42,017$17,991$21,689
    Minnesota11 public · 21 private32$46,955$21,935$21,614
    Michigan15 public · 23 private38$37,717$17,562$21,521
    Virginia15 public · 25 private40$43,585$22,206$21,416
    Ohio23 public · 40 private63$45,177$20,633$21,167
    Arizona4 public · 4 private8$41,648$20,995$20,543
    Tennessee9 public · 28 private37$39,109$18,130$17,335
    Nebraska6 public · 10 private16$36,469$19,269$17,078
    Maryland11 public · 12 private23$40,225$19,294$16,922
    Washington14 public · 13 private27$32,722$21,201$16,307
    Missouri13 public · 27 private40$36,814$19,136$15,487
    South Carolina12 public · 20 private32$34,475$19,990$15,442
    New Hampshire5 public · 8 private13$41,229$24,059$13,722
    West Virginia12 public · 5 private17$24,890$11,350$13,696
    New Mexico7 public · 2 private9$24,657$17,550$13,291
    Texas34 public · 40 private74$30,052$16,577$13,216
    Florida29 public · 35 private64$25,821$15,350$12,805
    Colorado13 public · 5 private18$29,161$18,422$12,527
    Louisiana12 public · 7 private19$25,426$13,357$12,296
    Maine7 public · 8 private15$31,940$19,835$11,938
    Idaho4 public · 3 private7$25,661$15,321$11,562
    Alabama13 public · 10 private23$28,880$18,255$11,307
    Oklahoma14 public · 10 private24$27,936$15,743$11,185
    Hawaii3 public · 4 private7$25,270$17,608$11,090
    Arkansas10 public · 13 private23$28,340$17,192$11,070
    Mississippi8 public · 8 private16$28,433$16,435$10,425
    Georgia25 public · 27 private52$28,586$15,911$10,410
    Utah6 public · 2 private8$22,600$15,478$8,199
    North Dakota6 public · 2 private8$23,198$14,856$8,162
    South Dakota6 public · 4 private10$26,484$20,691$6,812
    Montana6 public · 3 private9$26,512$21,302$5,210
    All reported colleges1,446$39,947$19,830$17,700

    Too few colleges to report (fewer than 5): Alaska (4), Delaware (4), Nevada (4), Wyoming (1).

    Methodology

    Colleges counted
    Every college published on CollegesRef that is public or private nonprofit and in a four-year Carnegie class (doctoral, master's or baccalaureate), with both figures above zero and a reported data year.
    Exclusions
    For-profit colleges, two-year colleges, special-focus institutions and U.S. territories are left out, as are colleges that report no cost of attendance.
    Reporting threshold
    A state is reported only when at least 5 colleges qualify; states below it are listed under the table.
    Sticker price
    The cost of attendance a college reports for a full-time, first-year undergraduate for one academic year: tuition and fees, housing, food, books, supplies and other expenses (College Scorecard field COSTT4_A). Public colleges report it at the in-state price.
    Net price
    The average net price for first-time, full-time students who received grant aid: the same cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships. The gap therefore measures how much grant aid lowers the price at the typical college. It can be negative when the two figures come from different student groups or reporting years.
    Medians
    Each figure is the median across a state's colleges, not weighted by enrollment. The median gap is the median of each college's own gap, so it need not equal the difference between the two other medians.

    Definitions: cost of attendance, tuition and fees and average net price. Read the CollegesRef methodology for how college data is checked.

    Sources

    Data
    U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports these figures from the IPEDS surveys; Carnegie classes from IPEDS.
    Edition
    2026–27, data verified Nov 2026
    Source reporting year
    2025
    Snapshot
    November 4, 2026
    Licence
    Federal data is a U.S. government work in the public domain. Please credit CollegesRef for this analysis.
    Downloads
    CSVMarkdown (for AI tools)

    Guides that explain these numbers

    Step-by-step explanations of the figures, written from the same federal data.

    Embed this chart

    Free to use on your site, newsletter or class page. The code includes a visible source line that credits CollegesRef.

    The chart updates when the data does. Preview it at /embed/net-price-by-state. Reporters are welcome to cite the figures with a link to this page; questions go to our contact page. Average net price for one family can be far from these medians: check each college with the cost calculator and its own net price calculator.