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Stanford University
Finances

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The cost of attending college is a big factor for most students.

On this page, you'll learn the cost of attending Stanford University, the net price after need-based aid, and how much students typically pay if they don’t qualify for need-based aid. Let's dive in and talk financials.

$ 88,455
Overall list price
$ 18,279
Average net price
$ 88,455
Merit Price™
No Merit
Very Stingy
Stingy
Generous
Very Generous

Cost Breakdown

The cost of attending Stanford University varies, and it’s important to understand the difference between published rates (commonly known as the list price or sticker price) and actual prices. At some schools, most students get a discount to the list price in the form of scholarships.

First, let’s look at the list price breakdown according to Stanford. Here's what the costs look like:

Overall Cost
Tuition
$61,731
Books
$825
Room & Board
$20,544
Fees (Full)
$753
Fees (One-time)
$0
Transport
$0
Other
$4,602
Total
$88,455

These costs are based on what the school most recently tallied. Books, supplies, and other expenses are estimates and are not usually paid directly to the school. Students might also have to pay for school-mandated health insurance. Prices tend to go up each year, and you should visit the school’s website for the latest cost.

Here’s how the total cost for students living on campus has changed in recent years.

90.0K
72.0K
54.0K
36.0K
18.0K
0.0
2022
2023
2024

Net Price

Although the cost to attend Stanford University is $88,455 per year, many students pay less.

Some of this is due to need-based aid being given to students of families based on income and assets. The average net price that families pay is $18,279.

Average Net Price by Income

Families making 0-30K / year
$-1,386
50K
Families making 31K-48K / year
$-1,876
50K
Families making 49K-75K / year
$3,637
50K
Families making 75K-110K / year
$7,332
50K
Families making 111+K / year
$45,276
50K

Net price data is provided by the U.S. government, but it's delayed by 1-2 years. So, the current net prices might be slightly higher. You can get a more accurate estimate of your cost using the college’s Net Price Calculator.

Merit Price

Students from higher income families will generally not qualify for need-based aid, but they might qualify for merit aid.

Some colleges are more generous with merit aid than others. CollegeIQ calculates a Merit Price™ for colleges, which represents the average amount students should expect to pay. We also have a Merit Meter™ rating for colleges, which represents how generous the school is when handing out merit aid compared to other colleges.

Merit Meter™
No Merit
Very Stingy
Stingy
Generous
Very Generous

The Merit Meter represents how much merit aid the school gives and to how many students. It is based on the percentage of students Stanford gives merit aid to and the amount given compared to the cost of attendance, compared to other colleges and universities. Learn more about how the CollegeIQ Merit Meter is calculated.

Stanford granted merit aid to about 0% of entering freshmen who did not qualify for need-based aid. The average merit aid discount is $4,781.

0%
Freshmen receiving Merit Aid
$ 4,781
Average Merit discount
$ 88,455
Merit Price™

The Merit Price represents CollegeIQ’s estimate of attending Stanford University for students who don’t qualify for need-based aid. This number is based on the average merit aid the school gave to freshmen, if at least 40% of students receive merit aid. Learn more about how the CollegeIQ Merit Meter is calculated.

While the amount of merit scholarships a school offers is relevant, the more important number is how much it costs to attend. A school that gives no merit but is cheaper than the merit price of a generous Merit Score is still less expensive.

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CollegeIQ relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

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