Helping students plan

Helping parents plan

Planning wisely

Evaluating college affordability

When evaluating a school's affordability, look at your overall financial picture to determine which costs you can cover.

Parent and child

If your family is like most, you'll need to investigate all the financial aid options offered by a school.

Whether you have chosen a school or not, our Education Investment Planner lets you:

  • Estimate and compare total education costs at over 5,500 colleges and graduate schools.
  • Understand and explore your funding options based on a combination of savings, scholarships and grants, and student loans.
  • Forecast estimated repayment costs if student loans are part of your financing plan.
  • Share plans with family and friends for feedback and discussion.

Qualifying for financial aid

Many families assume that their incomes are too high to qualify them for financial aid. The only way to know for sure if you qualify is to submit a FAFSA.

Learn more about Qualifying for financial aid.

Sticker shock?

Never rule out a college based on sticker price.

Once you factor in financial aid, it is possible that a college with a higher price may cost you less than one with a lower price and a smaller financial aid package.

Let Sallie Mae's Education Investment Planner estimate real costs for you.

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