by our College Data Analytics TeamThis guide covers the real cost of attending Tufts University, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
Use the section links below to navigate this overview:
The cost of attendance at Tufts University works out to about $84,600.00 per year.
Below, the published cost is shown three ways — the full sticker price with no aid, the net price after the average grant package, and the net price for low-income students who typically receive the most aid.
| Tuition and fees | $70,704.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $13,896.00 |
| Total cost | $84,600.00 |
| That is 158% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $84,600.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$48,302.00 |
| Net price | $36,298.00 |
| That is 11% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $84,600.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$77,016.00 |
| Net price | $7,584.00 |
| That is 77% below the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see tuition and fees plus living costs. |
Cost of attendance here has been rising at a recent average of 3.9% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The tables below project the cost forward across a full degree, side by side for a low-income student with aid, a typical student with average aid, and a student paying full sticker price with no aid. Loan totals assume a ten-year repayment at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Freshman year | $7,881.00 | $37,721.00 | $87,917.00 |
| Senior year | $8,845.00 | $42,334.00 | $98,669.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $33,428.00 | $159,993.00 | $372,897.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $12,735.00 | $60,952.00 | $142,060.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $385.00 | $1,841.00 | $4,291.00 |
| Total amount paid | $46,164.00 | $220,945.00 | $514,957.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Freshman year | $7,881.00 | $37,721.00 | $87,917.00 |
| Senior year | $8,190.00 | $39,200.00 | $91,364.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $16,072.00 | $76,921.00 | $179,281.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $6,123.00 | $29,304.00 | $68,300.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $185.00 | $885.00 | $2,063.00 |
| Total amount paid | $22,194.00 | $106,226.00 | $247,581.00 |
Jump to the net-price detail in the net price section below.
The net price figure shows the cost after grants and scholarships are deducted. For most students, this is the more useful number than published tuition because it reflects the real out-of-pocket cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $39,998.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $35,435.00 |
What families actually pay shifts with income, since need-based grants are larger for lower-income students. The figures below give average net price by income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $10,526.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $11,995.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,963.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $26,964.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $53,400.00 |
For a personalized estimate, try the Tufts University Net Price Calculator, or visit the financial aid office.
Curious how grants and scholarships are distributed? Explore the financial aid breakdown.
Median graduate debt at Tufts University amounts to $15,043.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) burden tier.
Here’s how debt at graduation distributes across borrowers:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,950.00 |
| 25th | $8,000.00 |
| Median (50th) | $15,043.00 |
| 75th | $22,000.00 |
| 90th | $25,500.00 |
The gap between 10th and 90th percentile borrowers gives a sense of how uneven debt outcomes are.
Dig deeper into debt on the student loan debt page.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. Below, debt is broken out by low, middle, and high family income:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $10,465.00 |
| Middle income | $15,000.00 |
| High income | $15,626.00 |
First-generation students frequently graduate with different debt than continuing-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $15,500.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,000.00 |
First-generation graduates from Tufts University carry $500.00 in extra median debt compared with continuing-generation peers.
Pell Grants are the federal government’s primary need-based undergraduate aid program. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The median debt difference between Pell-eligible and non-Pell graduates of Tufts University amounts to $-2,500.00.
The federal default-rate tier for Tufts University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 1.5% |
For scale, federal Stafford loan disbursements at Tufts University come to $1,196,135,953.00 across 21,381 disbursements.
Veterans and current servicemembers may be eligible for major federal education benefits including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 100 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $24,247.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 7 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,321.00 |
Dig into veteran education benefits on the veterans benefits detail.
The data above is a foundation; round it out by asking yourself about Tufts University, a few questions are worth asking:
Dig further into the cost picture with the related pages 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.