Course Catalog / BMU 104 / Lesson 3 of 5
BMU 104
Lesson 3: Find the real cost with a net price calculator
Halfway review
1. What goes on your needs list?
See the answer
Goal, credential, license, and format.
2. Name one place to check accreditation.
See the answer
DAPIP, College Navigator, or CHEA.
3. Why does accreditation matter for transfer?
See the answer
Credits from schools that are not accredited are hard to transfer.
Why this matters
The price on a school's website is the sticker price. Many students pay less after grants and scholarships. That lower amount is the net price.
A school with a high sticker price can cost you less than a school with a low one. You will not know until you check.
Start with what you already do
You already know the sticker on a car is not what most people pay.
Common belief: Community colleges and cheap schools always cost the least.
What is actually true: Often they do, and the FTC notes community colleges can cost a fraction of the price. But grants differ by school, so check the net price for each one.
In this lesson you will
- Find a school's net price calculator
- Compare the net price of two schools
- List costs beyond tuition
Key words
- sticker price
- The full published cost for a year.
- net price
- What you pay for a year after grants and scholarships. You do not pay those back.
- net price calculator
- A tool on a school's website that estimates your net price.
Use the net price calculator
The Department of Education's Net Price Calculator Center links to schools' calculators. You enter details about yourself. It shows what students like you paid last year after grants and scholarships.
- Go to the Net Price Calculator Center and search for the school.
- Enter your details. Use estimates. Do not enter your Social Security number.
- Write down the net price.
- Do the same for each school on your list.
Compare two schools
| Made up example | School A | School B |
|---|---|---|
| Sticker price for a year | $18,000 | $11,000 |
| Grants and scholarships | $9,500 | $1,200 |
| Net price | $8,500 | $9,800 |
School A has the higher sticker price but the lower net price. These numbers are made up for the example.
Text version of this figure
Sticker price vs. net price. Subtract grants to see what you pay.
- Step 1, Sticker price: The full cost for a year.
- Step 2, Minus grants and scholarships: Money you do not pay back.
- Net price: What you pay, with savings, work, or loans.
- Red flag: Counting loans as aid that lowers price. Loans must be paid back.
Source: ED Net Price Calculator Center (Oct 29, 2026).
Costs beyond tuition
- Fees, books, and supplies
- Travel or parking
- A device and internet for online classes
- Child care during class
- Lost work hours
Federal Student Aid counts these in the cost of attendance: tuition and fees, housing and food, books and supplies, transportation, and personal costs for students at least half time. Use the same list for each school so you compare the same things.
Also ask: can I use a payment plan? Will my scholarship last every year? What grade do I need to keep it? The FTC lists these questions.
Count the whole program
Multiply by the number of years. A $1,000 a year gap is $4,000 over a four year degree. A net price calculator gives an estimate. Your real numbers come in each school's financial aid offer after you file the FAFSA, so compare the offers again when they arrive.
Worked example: Tasha compares
Tasha from Lesson 1 runs two net price calculators.
- Community college: net price about $2,900 a year.
- Private career school: net price about $14,500 a year.
- Both have programs on the state dental board's list.
Over two years, the gap is about $23,200. She keeps the community college at the top. Numbers are made up for the example.
Practice: Find the two year total
| Rico's two year program | School A | School B |
|---|---|---|
| Net price per year | $4,200 | $3,500 |
| Books and supplies per year | $1,200 | $900 |
| Gas and parking per year | $600 | $0, online |
| One time costs | None | Laptop, $800 |
Find each school's total for two years. Which costs Rico less, and by how much?
Check your practice: feedback
School A: $4,200 plus $1,200 plus $600 is $6,000 a year. Two years is $12,000.
School B: $3,500 plus $900 is $4,400 a year. Two years is $8,800, plus the $800 laptop, for $9,600.
School B costs $2,400 less. The laptop is a one time cost, so add it only once.
Common mistakes
- Comparing sticker prices. Compare net prices.
- Counting loans as a discount. Loans are paid back with interest.
- Forgetting costs beyond tuition. Add books, travel, and child care.
Try it: Compare net price
Pick your scenario:
- Two schools I am looking at
- A community college and a four year school
- A school near me and an online school
- Run the net price calculator for two schools on your list.
- Write the sticker price, grants, and net price for each.
- Add costs beyond tuition.
- Mark which school costs you less.
- Write one money question to ask each school.
Do it by: this week
Reflect
Did the real cost surprise you? How does it change your list?
Check your understanding
1. School X costs $20,000 with $12,000 in grants. What is the net price?
- $8,000
- $12,000
- $32,000
See the answer and feedback
A is correct. Yes. $20,000 minus $12,000 is $8,000.
B: That is the grant amount. Review Compare two schools.
C: You subtract grants, not add them. Review Compare two schools.
2. Which should you compare across schools?
- The sticker price
- The net price
- The grants plus the loans
See the answer and feedback
B is correct. Yes. Net price is what you pay.
A: Many students pay less than sticker. Review Why this matters.
C: Loans are paid back, so they do not lower the cost. Review Why this matters.
3. A school counts a loan as money off your price. What is true?
- Loans lower the price.
- Loans are free money.
- Loans must be paid back.
See the answer and feedback
C is correct. Right. Only grants and scholarships lower net price.
A: Loans do not lower what you owe. Review the figure.
B: Loans are paid back with interest. Review Key words.
Takeaway: Compare what you will pay
- Net price is sticker price minus grants and scholarships.
- Add the other costs and multiply by the years in the program.
- Loans are not a discount.
- Check the real aid offer after the FAFSA.
Recap
- Sticker price is not what most students pay.
- Net price is sticker price minus grants and scholarships.
- Use each school's net price calculator.
- Add costs beyond tuition.
You now have: net prices for at least two schools.
Next up
Next you will check if students finish and what they earn, and if your credits will transfer. Go to Lesson 4: Will you finish, and will it pay?.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education: Net Price Calculator Center (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- Federal Student Aid: Understanding College Costs (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- FTC Consumer Advice: Choosing a College: Questions To Ask (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
