by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is the data on what it actually costs to attend Bucknell University, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
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The cost of attendance at Bucknell University amounts to about $79,956.00 annually.
The blocks below show what you would pay with no aid, with average aid, and as a low-income student.
| Tuition and fees | $67,812.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,144.00 |
| Total cost | $79,956.00 |
| That is 144% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $79,956.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$42,990.00 |
| Net price | $36,966.00 |
| That is 13% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $79,956.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$62,776.00 |
| Net price | $17,180.00 |
| That is 48% below the national average net price. | |
| Go deeper on the components with tuition and fees plus room and board. |
Published costs have climbed year over year at a recent average of 4.3% per year; the projections below compound that across a degree. These tables carry the cost across a degree for three cases: low-income w/ aid, average aid, and no aid. Loan math assumes ten-year repayment at 6.8% interest.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Freshman year | $17,916.00 | $38,549.00 | $83,379.00 |
| Senior year | $20,317.00 | $43,715.00 | $94,554.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $76,398.00 | $164,384.00 | $355,555.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $29,105.00 | $62,624.00 | $135,454.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $879.00 | $1,892.00 | $4,092.00 |
| Total amount paid | $105,502.00 | $227,008.00 | $491,009.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Freshman year | $17,916.00 | $38,549.00 | $83,379.00 |
| Senior year | $18,683.00 | $40,199.00 | $86,949.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $36,598.00 | $78,748.00 | $170,329.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $13,943.00 | $30,000.00 | $64,889.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $421.00 | $906.00 | $1,960.00 |
| Total amount paid | $50,541.00 | $108,748.00 | $235,218.00 |
Read more in the net-price section.
Net price reflects the true cost to attend after grant and scholarship aid is deducted. It is usually a better planning number than the sticker cost above.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $40,766.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $40,429.00 |
The real cost varies by income because need-based aid scales with financial need. The breakdown below splits average net price across income brackets:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $21,406.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $19,554.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $20,932.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $36,128.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $55,354.00 |
Use Bucknell University Net Price Calculator, or visit the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the financial aid breakdown.
The median amount borrowed by graduates of Bucknell University is $23,250.00, which federal data classifies as a Moderate ($20-30k) burden category.
The percentile spread of debt at graduation is shown below:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $6,453.00 |
| 25th | $14,855.00 |
| Median (50th) | $23,250.00 |
| 75th | $27,000.00 |
| 90th | $31,000.00 |
How far apart the 10th and 90th percentiles sit tells you how uneven debt outcomes are.
Dig deeper into debt on the student loan debt page.
Median debt at graduation differs meaningfully across income brackets. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $16,400.00 |
| Middle income | $25,000.00 |
| High income | $25,000.00 |
First-gen students typically face different financial-aid contexts than students whose parents attended college.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $23,250.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $23,061.00 |
First-generation borrowers from Bucknell University hold $189.00 more debt than continuing-generation students.
Pell Grants are the federal government’s primary need-based undergraduate aid program. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell median debt at Bucknell University works out to $-2,196.00.
The federal default-rate tier for Bucknell University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 0.9% |
For a sense of scale, Stafford disbursements at Bucknell University add up to $86,245,207.00 distributed across 5,642 student borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty servicemembers can tap dedicated federal aid programs such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 20 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $26,984.00 |
Dig into veteran education benefits on the college veterans page.
Numbers only tell part of the story. As you weigh Bucknell University, keep these questions in mind:
For a closer look at any of these topics, follow the links below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.