Average Tuition-Discount Rates at Private Nonprofit Colleges, 2005-6 to 2016-17

The share of revenue from tuition and fees that went back to students in tuition discounts grew by more than 11 percentage points for first-time, full-time freshmen, and by nearly 10 percentage points for all undergraduates, during this period. By 2016-17, discounts came close to covering half of college costs for first-time, full-time freshmen, and more than 40 percent of costs for all undergraduates.

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* Preliminary estimate

Note: Tuition-discount rates indicate what percentage of an institution’s gross revenue from tuition and fees is given back to students in the form of scholarships and grants. Data are as of the fall of each academic year. Figures for 2016-17 are based on reports from more than 400 colleges. During that academic year, an estimated 87.9 percent of freshmen and 78.5 percent of all undergraduates received grant aid. More data are available at nacubo.org.

Source: National Association of College and University Business Officers