Pell Grant Income Limits 2026-27 and 2027-28 by Family Size
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The federal 2026-27 formula, line by line, from the numbers on your 2024 return.
Open the SAI CalculatorFor 2026-27, a family of four qualifies for the maximum Pell Grant of $7,395 when its 2024 adjusted gross income (AGI) is above $0 and no more than $54,600, or $70,200 for a single parent. Those lines are 175% and 225% of the 2024 HHS poverty guideline, the year the 2026-27 FAFSA reads.
Income over the line does not end the question. Pell has three ways in: the income test above, your Student Aid Index (SAI), and a second, higher income test for the $740 minimum award.
Below are every line by family size, the SAI rule, and the 2027-28 limits for anyone filing the form that opened on September 23, 2026. Source · U.S. Department of Education
Where does your income land on the Pell lines?
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Pell has three ways in, and income is only the first
The FSA Handbook sorts every eligible student into maximum, calculated or minimum Pell. Source · FSA Handbook 2026-27, Vol. 7, Ch. 2 Your school checks them in that order and pays the highest one you meet.
Maximum Pell
$7,395
- How you qualify
- No tax return required, or AGI above $0 and at or below 175% of poverty (225% for a single parent), or an SAI of 0 or less
- Award
- $7,395
- Assets count?
- No, for the income test
Calculated Pell
Between the two
- How you qualify
- SAI from 1 to 6,655
- Award
- $7,395 minus your SAI, rounded to the nearest $5
- Assets count?
- Yes, through the SAI
Minimum Pell
$740
- How you qualify
- AGI at or below 275% to 400% of poverty, and an SAI under 14,790
- Award
- $740
- Assets count?
- Only through the SAI cap
An SAI of 14,790 or more rules out Pell for 2026-27, whatever your income. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act set that cap at twice the maximum award. Source · FSA, APP-25-23
A family of four gets the maximum at $54,600, or $70,200 as a single parent
The maximum-Pell test compares AGI plus any foreign earned income exclusion with the 2024 guideline for your family size and state. It must be above $0 and at or below the line. Source · 2026-27 SAI and Pell Eligibility Guide
For a dependent student, the test reads the parents’ return. For an independent student, it reads yours (and your spouse’s).
| Family size | 2024 poverty guideline | Not a single parent (175%) | Single parent (225%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,060 | $26,355 | $33,885 |
| 2 | $20,440 | $35,770 | $45,990 |
| 3 | $25,820 | $45,185 | $58,095 |
| 4 | $31,200 | $54,600 | $70,200 |
| 5 | $36,580 | $64,015 | $82,305 |
| 6 | $41,960 | $73,430 | $94,410 |
| 7 | $47,340 | $82,845 | $106,515 |
| 8 | $52,720 | $92,260 | $118,620 |
| Each extra person | +$5,380 | +$9,415 | +$12,105 |
Alaska and Hawaii use higher guidelines. A family of four in Alaska reaches the maximum at $68,250, and in Hawaii at $62,790, for households that are not single-parent. Source · Federal Register, 2024 HHS guidelines
Households that do not have to file a federal return at all get the maximum automatically, with an SAI of -1,500. For a dependent student, both parents must be non-filers.
Single-parent status comes from your tax return, not your household
The 225% line applies only to a single parent as the FAFSA defines one. A dependent student’s parent counts when unmarried and filing as head of household or qualifying surviving spouse, or when they received the Earned Income Tax Credit.
An independent student counts under the same test, and must also have dependents. A married parent, or an unmarried parent who filed single without the EITC, uses the 175% line.
Family size starts from the people counted on the tax return the FAFSA pulls from the IRS. If that count is wrong for your household, you can report the right size on the form, and the reported number is the one used. Source · 2026-27 SAI Guide, Appendix C
Above the line, Pell is $7,395 minus your SAI
If you miss the income test, your school takes the maximum award, subtracts your SAI and rounds to the nearest $5. The result must be at least $740, so calculated Pell stops at an SAI of 6,655. It is also capped at your school’s cost of attendance.
| Student Aid Index | Pell for 2026-27 | Path |
|---|---|---|
| 0 or less | $7,395 | Maximum |
| 1,000 | $6,395 | Calculated |
| 2,500 | $4,895 | Calculated |
| 5,000 | $2,395 | Calculated |
| 6,655 | $740 | Calculated (last dollar) |
| 6,656 to 14,789 | $740 or $0 | Minimum, only if income passes the second test |
| 14,790 or more | $0 | Not eligible |
Example: a student with an SAI of 1,002 gets $7,395 minus 1,002, which is $6,393, rounded to $6,395.
Minimum Pell reaches $124,800 for an independent single parent of four
The $740 minimum uses a second income test with higher lines, from 275% to 400% of the guideline. It pays only when your SAI is also under 14,790. Source · FSA Handbook 2026-27, Vol. 7, Ch. 2
| Family size | 275%: dependent (parents not single) or independent, no children | 325%: dependent, single parent | 350%: independent parent, not single | 400%: independent single parent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $41,415 | $48,945 | $52,710 | $60,240 |
| 2 | $56,210 | $66,430 | $71,540 | $81,760 |
| 3 | $71,005 | $83,915 | $90,370 | $103,280 |
| 4 | $85,800 | $101,400 | $109,200 | $124,800 |
| 5 | $100,595 | $118,885 | $128,030 | $146,320 |
| 6 | $115,390 | $136,370 | $146,860 | $167,840 |
| 7 | $130,185 | $153,855 | $165,690 | $189,360 |
| 8 | $144,980 | $171,340 | $184,520 | $210,880 |
Find your path in four questions
Which 2026-27 Pell path fits you?
Did you (or your parents, if you are dependent) have to file a 2024 federal tax return?
Part-time students get Pell in proportion to their credits
Pell for part-time students follows enrollment intensity: your credits divided by the full-time load, rounded to the nearest whole percent. At a school where full time is 12 credits, 9 credits is 75% and 6 credits is 50% of your scheduled award. Source · FSA Handbook 2026-27, Vol. 7, Ch. 3
You can receive Pell for up to 12 full-time terms or the equivalent, about six years. In some cases a school can pay up to 150% of your scheduled award in one year, for an extra term. Source · StudentAid.gov, Pell Grants
The 2027-28 FAFSA uses 2025 income and higher lines
The 2027-28 FAFSA launched on September 23, 2026. It reads 2025 income and the 2025 poverty guidelines, with the same 175% and 225% multiples. Source · 2027-28 SAI and Pell Eligibility Guide
| Family size | 2025 poverty guideline | Not a single parent (175%) | Single parent (225%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,650 | $27,388 | $35,213 |
| 2 | $21,150 | $37,013 | $47,588 |
| 3 | $26,650 | $46,638 | $59,963 |
| 4 | $32,150 | $56,263 | $72,338 |
| 5 | $37,650 | $65,888 | $84,713 |
| 6 | $43,150 | $75,513 | $97,088 |
| 7 | $48,650 | $85,138 | $109,463 |
| 8 | $54,150 | $94,763 | $121,838 |
Four rules can override the tables
- Children of fallen servicemembers and public safety officers. A student whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, or while serving as a public safety officer, gets maximum Pell whatever the SAI. For 2026-27 the student must be under 33 on January 1, 2026. The SAI cap does not apply. Source · FSA Handbook 2026-27, Vol. 7, Ch. 1
- Foreign earned income. From 2026-27, the foreign earned income exclusion is added to AGI for both income tests. An expat household with a low AGI can miss the line once it is added back.
- A bachelor’s degree ends Pell, except in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program or an eligible workforce program of 8 to 14 weeks and 150 to 599 clock hours. Source · StudentAid.gov, OBBBA definitions
- Full scholarships. From 2026-27, a student whose state, school or private grants already equal the cost of attendance cannot also receive Pell for that period. Source · FSA Handbook 2026-27, Vol. 3, Ch. 3
Check these before you file
-
Confirm whether a return was required
A household that did not have to file a 2024 return gets maximum Pell with no further math. IRS Publication 501 sets the filing thresholds.
-
Check your family size
The FAFSA starts from the tax return. If someone you support is missing, report the correct size on the form.
-
Check your filing status and EITC
Head of household, qualifying surviving spouse or the Earned Income Tax Credit is what moves an unmarried parent to the 225% line.
-
File even if you are over the line
Minimum Pell runs to $146,320 for an independent single parent in a family of five. Federal loans and most state grants also need a FAFSA.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income limit for a Pell Grant in 2026-27?
There is no single cutoff. The maximum award goes to households at or below 175% of the 2024 poverty guideline (225% for single parents), which is $54,600 for a family of four. Above that, your SAI decides, and an SAI of 14,790 or more rules Pell out.
Can I get a Pell Grant if my family earns $100,000?
It is possible for larger or single-parent households. A dependent student whose single parent heads a family of five has a minimum-Pell line of $118,885. The SAI must also be under 14,790.
Do savings count against Pell?
Not for the maximum-Pell income test, which looks only at AGI and family size. Savings do count in the SAI, which decides calculated Pell and the cap. The 2026-27 formula has no asset protection allowance, so reportable savings count in full. Source · 2026-27 SAI Guide
How much is the Pell Grant for 2027-28?
Congress has not set it yet. The 2026-27 maximum is $7,395, and StudentAid.gov says it will add the 2027-28 amount when it is available.
Your next step is your own numbers
The tables tell you which line applies. The aid check tells you where your household lands on it, using your family size, income and state, and adds the state grant and loan limits that come with it.
Find out which Pell path fits your household
The aid check applies the Pell rules to your family size, income and state and shows the result as a planning estimate. No name or email needed.
Start the aid checkWant your Pell lines by email? Go to the quick check
Sources
Every figure in this guide comes from one of these pages. How we check sources
- Federal Student Aid, GEN-26-01: 2026-27 Federal Pell Grant Maximum and Minimum Award Amounts
- Federal Student Aid, 2026-27 Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide
- Federal Student Aid, 2027-28 Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide
- FSA Handbook 2026-27, Volume 7, Chapter 2: Calculating Pell Grants
- FSA Handbook 2026-27, Volume 7, Chapter 1: Student Eligibility for Pell Grants
- FSA Handbook 2026-27, Volume 7, Chapter 3: Enrollment Intensity and Cost of Attendance
- FSA Handbook 2026-27, Volume 3, Chapter 3: Packaging Aid
- Federal Student Aid, APP-25-23: 2026-27 FAFSA Form and Pell Grant Eligibility Updates
- Federal Register, 2024 HHS Poverty Guidelines
- Federal Register, 2025 HHS Poverty Guidelines
- StudentAid.gov, OBBBA: Important Definitions (Workforce Pell)
- StudentAid.gov, Federal Pell Grants
- U.S. Department of Education, 2027-28 FAFSA launch (September 23, 2026)
Related Resources
Student Aid Index (SAI) Explained: The 2026-27 Formula
Your SAI runs from -1,500 to 999,999 and is not a bill. For 2026-27, an SAI of 0 or less means the maximum $7,395 Pell. How the formula works, step by step.
Grants for College in 2026-27: Pell, FSEOG, TEACH and State
Pell pays up to $7,395 for 2026-27, FSEOG up to $4,000 and state grants like Cal Grant up to $17,236. How each grant works and the one form that applies.
How Much Financial Aid Will I Get in 2026-27?
Undergraduates averaged $16,810 in aid in 2024-25, $12,080 of it grants. For 2026-27, Pell pays up to $7,395. How each part of your aid is set.