How to Pay for College in 2026-27: Every Source, in Order

Pay for college in this order: grants first, then scholarships, employer aid and benefits you earn, then federal loans, and private loans only for what is left. For 2026-27 that stack starts with a Pell Grant of up to $7,395, and every federal source starts with the FAFSA.

Few students pay the sticker price. The College Board puts average 2025-26 net tuition and fees at about $2,300 for first-time, full-time in-state students at public four-year colleges, after grant aid. At public two-year colleges, grant aid has covered tuition and fees on average since 2009-10. Source · College Board: Trends 2025

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Sticker price and net price are far apart

These are the College Board’s 2025-26 averages for first-time, full-time students. Net tuition subtracts grant aid only, not loans.

School type	Published tuition and fees	Average net tuition and fees
Public two-year, in-district	$4,150	Grant aid covers it on average
Public four-year, in-state	$11,950	About $2,300
Private nonprofit four-year	$45,000	$16,910

Your own net price depends on your aid, so compare schools on what you would pay, not on the listed price.

Grants come first because you never repay them

Every federal grant, and most state and campus grants, starts with the FAFSA. Two forms are open now: 2026-27 for classes through June 2027, and 2027-28 for fall 2027 on. Our FAFSA guide explains which to file.

Grant	Amount	Who gets it
Federal Pell Grant	$740 to $7,395 a year	Undergraduates with need, set by the SAI; prorated for part-time
FSEOG	$100 to $4,000 a year	Pell recipients with the lowest SAIs first, at participating schools
California Cal Grant B	Up to $17,236 a year	California residents with need; FAFSA and GPA by March 2
New York TAP	Up to $5,665 a year (2025-26)	New York residents with need; TAP application too
TEXAS Grant	Up to $5,399 a semester	Texas residents with need at public universities
Campus grants	Set by each school	Most schools need a FAFSA on file to consider you

Grant Federal Pell Grant

Amount $740 to $7,395 a year

Who gets it Undergraduates with need, set by the SAI; prorated for part-time

Grant FSEOG

Amount $100 to $4,000 a year

Who gets it Pell recipients with the lowest SAIs first, at participating schools

Grant California Cal Grant B

Amount Up to $17,236 a year

Who gets it California residents with need; FAFSA and GPA by March 2

Grant New York TAP

Amount Up to $5,665 a year (2025-26)

Who gets it New York residents with need; TAP application too

Grant TEXAS Grant

Amount Up to $5,399 a semester

Who gets it Texas residents with need at public universities

Grant Campus grants

Amount Set by each school

Who gets it Most schools need a FAFSA on file to consider you

Pell has a lifetime limit of 12 full-time semesters. An SAI of 14,790 or higher rules out Pell for 2026-27. Every state runs its own grant with its own deadline; our state aid directory lists them. Source · GEN-26-01

Scholarships: start with your own school

Scholarships come from colleges, employers, foundations, professional groups and local organizations. The award with the least competition is often at the school you plan to attend, because only its own students can apply.

Ask the financial aid office which campus scholarships need a separate application, and when. Our scholarships for adult students guide lists named awards open to people returning to school.

Employers can pay up to $5,250 a year tax-free

Under Section 127, an employer can pay up to $5,250 a year toward your education without it counting as taxable income. The IRS sets that limit for 2025 and 2026; from 2027 it rises with the cost of living. Source · IRS: FS-2026-10

The same $5,250 can also go toward payments on your own student loans, but loan payments and tuition share one annual limit. Unused amounts do not carry over to the next year.

Ask HR whether your employer has a written education assistance plan, whether it pays upfront or reimburses you, and whether you must stay for a period after. Our employer tuition guide covers the questions to ask.

Work-study and military benefits pay for time you give

Federal Work-Study is a part-time job for students with financial need, at participating schools. You earn at least the federal minimum wage. There is no set award size; it depends on your need, when you apply and your school’s funding. Source · StudentAid.gov: Work-Study

The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers in-state tuition and fees at public schools. At private schools it pays up to $30,908.34 a year for the August 2026 to July 2027 benefit year.

• A monthly housing allowance, $2,522 at the national average rate.
• Up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies.
• Up to 36 months of benefits in total.

You qualify with at least 90 days of active duty after September 10, 2001, and your share of the full benefit rises with time served. The GI Bill calculator works out your amount. Source · VA: Post-9/11 GI Bill rates

Borrow federal before private

Federal loans come with the FAFSA and carry a fixed 6.52% rate for undergraduates in 2026-27, plus a 1.057% origination fee. Subsidized loans do not charge interest while you are enrolled at least half time. Source · StudentAid.gov: Interest rates

Year in school	Dependent total	Independent total	Most that can be subsidized
First year	$5,500	$9,500	$3,500
Second year	$6,500	$10,500	$4,500
Third year and beyond	$7,500	$12,500	$5,500

Adults 24 and older borrow at the independent limits. Since July 1, 2026, annual limits shrink in proportion when you enroll less than full time. Source · StudentAid.gov: OBBBA definitions

Private loans come from banks and credit unions. They do not offer federal repayment plans based on income or Public Service Loan Forgiveness, so use them only after federal loans. Our federal vs. private loans guide compares them.

Every source side by side

Source	2026-27 amount	Repay?	How to get it
Pell Grant	Up to $7,395	No	FAFSA
FSEOG	$100 to $4,000	No	FAFSA; school awards it
State grants	Varies by state	No	FAFSA, sometimes a state form
Campus grants and scholarships	Set by the school	No	FAFSA and the school’s own forms
Private scholarships	Set by each provider	No	Apply to each provider
TEACH Grant	Up to $4,000 by law, less after cuts	Only if you skip the teaching service	FAFSA plus a TEACH agreement
Employer assistance	Up to $5,250 tax-free	No, if you meet the plan’s terms	Your HR department
Federal Work-Study	Set by your school	No, you earn it	FAFSA, then accept the offer
Post-9/11 GI Bill	Public tuition, housing, books	No	VA.gov
Federal Direct Loans	$5,500 to $12,500 a year	Yes	FAFSA, then accept the offer
Private loans	Up to cost of attendance	Yes	Apply to a lender

The TEACH Grant is capped at $4,000 a year by law; awards first paid from October 2020 through September 2026 were cut to $3,772. It turns into a loan if you do not finish the required teaching service. Source · StudentAid.gov: TEACH Grants

Build your plan in four steps

1. File the right FAFSA

   The 2026-27 form covers classes through June 2027; the 2027-28 form covers fall 2027 on. Check your state’s deadline, since some states pay first-come.

2. Ask your employer and your school

   HR can tell you about tuition assistance. The school’s aid office can tell you which campus scholarships need their own application.

3. Compare offers on net price

   Subtract only grants and scholarships from each school’s cost. Loans and work-study are not discounts.

4. Borrow the gap, federal first

   Take subsidized loans before unsubsidized, and private loans only if federal limits fall short.

Your next step

Before you compare what programs cost, see what you could get. The aid check stacks your 2026-27 Pell range, state grant, campus aid and federal loan limits in about two minutes, and shows the result before any email.