The price of earning a postsecondary degree is at the forefront of many students’ minds as they start to apply to college.
In fact, according to a 2025 EducationDynamics report that surveyed more than 3,400 students, 46% of respondents considered the cost of tuition and fees as the most critical factor in their decision-making process.
However, the actual cost isn’t always what it seems. Here’s what to consider when looking at the total cost of attendance at colleges on your list.
Sticker Price vs. Net Price
The sticker price refers to the total published price of a college, including tuition, fees, food and housing.
[Read: Is College Worth the Cost? Factors to Consider.]
“Some families think the sticker price covers all expenses,” Mike Tocydlowski, director of financial aid at Pitzer College in California, a member of the Claremont Colleges, wrote in an email. However, “indirect costs like books and supplies can vary by student and are typically not billed by the institution. Students and families should still plan for these costs, even though they won’t appear on the official billing statement.”
The net price, on the other hand, is the amount that families actually pay once financial aid — such as grants and scholarships — is factored in.
Misconceptions About the Sticker Price
Sometimes students assume that a community college is less expensive than a four-year college or that a private college is more expensive than a state school, says Brian Henley, interim senior associate vice president of enrollment management at California State University, Sacramento.
When looking at just the sticker price, that may be true. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees to attend a public college is nearly 75% less than the average sticker price at a private college, for instance, at $11,011 for the 2024-2025 year compared with $43,505, according to data on U.S. News-ranked schools. In the same academic year, public colleges charged $24,513 for out-of-state students.
However, many families aren’t actually paying the full sticker price.
Students might write off the “possibility of being able to go to college altogether because they’re looking at the cost and it looks really expensive for them and for their family,” Henley says. “But they don’t realize that sometimes the actual cost is going to be significantly less for them. And a college education is still a great investment.”
Therefore, he discourages students from “marking any school off their list until they go through the process of applying for financial aid and finding out how much aid they’re going to be eligible for, and then what their actual cost of attendance would be.”
Another misconception is that the cost of attendance “remains the same for all four years,” Tocydlowski says.
“In reality, higher education is facing inflation rates higher than many other industries, so colleges and universities increase tuition and fees to cover rising costs,” he says. “Some institutions have begun offering fixed tuition for all four years as part of their enrollment strategy, but this is not yet a widespread practice. It’s important to keep in mind that schools may adjust financial assistance to help offset the impact of tuition increases.”
[Read: When Should High School Students Start Their Scholarship Search?]
Comparing the Total Cost of Schools on Your List
Less than half of students — 43% — said it was easy to find information on college websites about tuition costs, per the report by EducationDynamics, a higher education enrollment and marketing company.
“I?f you went shopping for a car and you found it very difficult to find out what the sticker price of that car was, it would be very difficult for you to make a decision to buy a car,” says Greg Clayton, president of enrollment management services at EducationDynamics.
Beyond looking at the published price, students need to consider whether any aid programs are available to “offset those costs,” says Ashley Dutton, executive director of financial equity, aid and strategic planning at Trinity College in Connecticut.
To get a better understanding of what you may be expected to pay at a specific school, experts recommend using a net price calculator. Colleges participating in federal student aid programs are required to publish this tool on their websites.
“Students can actually use those tools and see what it would look like for them at a more personalized level,” Dutton says.
However, Tocydlowski says, “keep in mind that the estimate is only as accurate as the information provided, so if the details are incomplete or incorrect, the estimate may not be reliable.”
How Much Should Cost Be a Factor in Admissions Decisions?
While cost should be a key factor in the college decision, Tocydlowksi advises students to also consider the overall return on investment — including job attainment, graduation rates and potential earnings.
“Take the time to thoroughly explore the institution(s), the opportunities they offer and whether they’re the right ‘fit’ for you,” he says. “Just because a college is affordable doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right choice. For some, it will be, but others might want to factor in the overall experience, community and educational quality. These are all essential elements to consider when evaluating the return on your investment.”
Educate yourself about the financial aid process the same way you would with admissions and academics, Dutton says.
[Read: 19 Questions College Financial Aid Officers Wish Parents Would Ask]
Don’t “let that be a second thought and make sure you’re doing that research up front,” she says. “Ask questions. Financial aid administrators are doing this work because they want to be able to help, they want to share that information. So certainly use them as a resource. And if things have changed for your family, let them know, see what opportunities may exist to reevaluate.”
Looking outside of cost, higher education offers a range of professional and personal benefits, Tocydlowski says.
“Ultimately, the decision to attend college depends on a student’s personal goals, interests and circumstances,” he says. “For most, it’s a steppingstone to a brighter future.”
To learn more about the college admissions process, sign up for U.S. News’ twice-monthly Extra Help newsletter, which provides advice to parents as their teens navigate applying to and paying for college.
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College ‘Sticker Prices’: What to Know originally appeared on usnews.com
