by our College Data Analytics TeamA large number of students will not be asked to pay the complete price tag of a school. Rather, they are presented a financial aid deal that includes a mix of loans, grants, scholarships, and possibly work-study opportunities. The price tag of going to Rochester University can appear overwhelming, but bear in mind that many students obtain some kind of financial aid.
What financial aid options can RCU offer you, and what will you qualify for? Keep reading for more information. Keep reading to find out how much school funding will be available to you.
The amount of financial aid and scholarships you are eligible for will vary depending on your family’s income. Continue reading to find information to help you understand just how much assistance you can expect to receive from Rochester University.
Financial aid, in the form of loans, grants, work-study, and scholarships, is one way colleges reduce the cost of attendance so most students can actually afford to attend. However, some types of aid are more desirable than others, and some students will receive more than others.
For incoming first-year students at Rochester University, 100% of new full-time first-years were awarded at least some aid around 141 students).
| Type of Aid | % of Freshmen Receiving | Average Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grant or scholarship aid (all sources) | 100% | $19,674 |
| Institutional grants & scholarships | 100% | $13,755 |
| Federal Pell grants | 41% | $5,559 |
| State/local grants | 50% | $6,944 |
| Federal student loans | 69% | $5,314 |
The best aid is gift aid: grants and scholarships that carry no repayment obligation. Here, approximately 71% of undergraduate students received gift aid averaging $15,468 (across roughly 814 students).
| Award | % of Undergrads Receiving | Average Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grant or scholarship aid (all sources) | 71% | $15,468 |
| Federal Pell grants | 31% | $5,143 |
| Federal student loans | 50% | $6,991 |
For on-campus title-IV students, average grant aid came to $20,331.
The figures below show the average net price — cost after all grant and scholarship aid — broken out by family income.
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 – $48,000 | $14,897 |
| $30,001 – $75,000 | $16,776 |
| Over $75,000 | $22,008 |
Each amount is the average cost remaining once grant aid is subtracted, by income band.
After grants and scholarships come off the published price, what remains is the net price — the best estimate of true out-of-pocket cost.
| Cohort | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| On-campus title-IV students | $21,456 |
| Off-campus title-IV students | $19,245 |
For a customized cost estimate, visit RCU’s online cost calculator: rcu.edu/admissions/net-price-calculator/.
The median student at RCU graduates with $14,750 in federal loans.
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Median federal debt (all student-aid borrowers) | $14,750 |
| Median federal debt (graduates only) | $24,475 |
| Typical 10-year monthly payment (graduates) | $259.48/mo |
Spreading the median graduate debt over a standard 10-year repayment schedule works out to roughly the monthly payment shown above.
Percentiles reveal the spread — half of all borrowers fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles. These percentiles trace how cumulative federal debt is spread among borrowers at RCU.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $4,079 |
| 25th percentile | $6,500 |
| 75th percentile | $27,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $35,500 |
Median debt varies by family income, by first-generation status, and by dependency status.
By Family Income
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,500 |
| Middle income | $16,659 |
| High income | $15,000 |
First-Gen vs Continuing-Gen Median Debt
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,730 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,000 |
Dependent vs Independent Students
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $12,000 |
| Independent students | $18,281 |
The Department of Education computes summary indicators that describe debt outcomes at a glance. RCU.
The Stafford loan program is the largest source of federal direct loans to undergraduates. The aggregate figures below show how active the program is at RCU:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Stafford loan recipients | 5448 |
| Total Stafford loan amount | $90,190,796 |
If you are a veteran or active-duty service member, the GI Bill and DoD Tuition Assistance are the primary federal programs you can use at this school.
GI Bill volume
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| GI Bill recipients | 5 |
| Total GI Bill amount | $120,890 |
| Average GI Bill amount per recipient | $24,178 |
DoD Tuition Assistance activity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 1 |
| Total DoD amount | $4,500 |
| Average DoD amount per recipient | $4,500 |
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.