These 10 “Expensive” Colleges Have Free College Tuition or Full-Ride Scholarships for Middle-Class Families

When many families think of college, they think “expensive”.

With rising price tags on many schools now easily exceeding $60,000 per year, it’s no wonder that many students and parents are worried about how they will possibly afford the cost of college.

If you’ve done your homework, then you will know that many colleges–especially the most expensive schools–offer significant discounts. What this means is that very few students pay the full “sticker” price listed on a school’s website. Instead, students pay their net price, which is often just a fraction of the full cost.

But, which schools offer the best deals for middle-class families and even give free college tuition offers?

Many colleges offer excellent financial aid, but some of the nation’s top universities actually have specific policies that guarantee middle-class families full-ride scholarships or essentially free college tuition based on their income.

Here are 10 schools that have published these excellent financial aid policies and are basically offering free college tuition:

1. Princeton University

Source: Flickr user carbonnyc.

Tuition: $46,144

Financial aid policy: Full-ride (including tuition plus room & board) for families making $54,000 a year or less. Free tuition for families making less than $120,000 a year.

Our top-ranked college in terms of academics and outcomes, Princeton also offers a whole bunch of bang for the buck in terms of financial aid.

2. Brown University

Source: Flickr user dlthurston.

Tuition: $53,904

Financial aid policy: Full-ride (free tuition, room & board) for families making less than $60,000 per year.

Another Ivy League college makes our list. Providence, Rhode Island’s Brown University offers generous aid and a top-tier education.

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3. Cornell University

Source: Flickr user Robert Thompson.

Tuition: $52,853

Financial aid policy: Full-ride (free tuition, room & board) for families making less than $60,000.

The Ivy League college with the highest acceptance rate (just over 10%), Cornell University is also dedicated to making quality education affordable and accessible for all kinds of students. Their financial aid policy mirrors many other colleges — they offer full-ride scholarships to students from middle and lower-middle-income families.

4. Columbia University

Source: Flickr user skinnylawyer.

Tuition: $55,581

Financial aid policy: Full-ride (free tuition, room & board) for families making less than $60,000.

5. Duke University

Source: Flickr user OZinOH.

Tuition: $53,701

Financial aid policy: Full-ride (free tuition, room & board) for families making less than $60,000.

Duke is one of the country’s best research universities, known especially for their top-tier medical school.

But, they also boast strong financial aid that makes becoming a Blue Devil within reach for many families who may be originally scared off by the price tag.

6. Harvard University

Source: Flickr user Niklas Tenhaef.

Tuition: $50,420

Financial aid policy: Full-ride (free tuition, room & board) for families making less than $65,000.

Needing no introduction, Harvard’s reputation for academic excellence and prestige is nearly unmatched. But, many people are unaware that they also offer incredibly generous financial aid for middle-class families.

7. Yale University

Source: Flickr user Thomas Autumn.

Tuition: $51,400

Financial aid policy: Full-ride (free tuition, room & board) for families making less than $65,000.

Another one of America’s top and most-respected universities, Yale, clocks in with strong scholarship opportunities for students lucky enough to be admitted.

8. Stanford University

Source: Flickr user ahockley.

Tuition: $48,987

Financial aid policy: Full-ride (free tuition, room & board) for families making less than $65,000. Free tuition for families making less than $125,000.

Right in the thick of the Silicon Valley tech market, Stanford boasts beach access, elite education, and financial aid that makes it all accessible and affordable for students from all walks of life.

9. MIT

Source: Flickr user Aleksandr Zykov.

Tuition: $49,892

Financial aid policy: Families making less than $75,000 a year don’t pay tuition.

Known for all things technical, MIT’s financial aid department will foot the bill for students coming from middle-income families, leaving them only responsible for paying room & board and other living expenses.

10. Dartmouth College

Source: Flickr user sarunas_b.

Tuition: $53,049

Financial aid policy: Free tuition for families making less than $100,000.

Rounding out the collection of Ivy League schools on this list, Dartmouth boasts a policy that makes tuition free for any family that earns less than $100,000 per year. And, as with the other schools on this list, Dartmouth offers aid on a sliding scale for all other families.

Other college options

Finding financial aid for middle-class families can sometimes be a challenge. Luckily, these colleges have all published their specific financial aid rules to help families determine early if they will qualify for enough aid.

But, what about other colleges? Or, what about families that don’t quite meet the criteria that these colleges have set forth?

In those cases, the College Raptor can help by estimating the financial aid that you’ll receive from every college in the country–allowing you to easily compare costs and see which schools will fit your budget.

Discover which colleges are likely to offer you the best financial aid
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Lender	Rates (APR)	Eligibility
	5.50%-16.12%* Variable 3.99%-15.61%* Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT CITIZENS
	5.54% - 15.70% Variable 3.99% - 15.49% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT SALLIE MAE
	4.63% - 17.99% Variable 3.49% - 17.99% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT CREDIBLE
	6.00% - 13.75% Variable 3.99% - 13.75% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT LENDKEY
	5.66% - 14.72% Variable 3.69% - 14.56% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ASCENT
	3.70% - 8.75% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ISL
	5.62% - 16.85% Variable 3.69% - 16.49% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT EARNEST
	5.00% - 14.22% Variable 3.69% - 14.22% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ELFI

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