College Cost Comparison Worksheet

A college cost comparison worksheet is a printable planner that lists three (or more) schools side by side, showing tuition, room & board, books, other expenses, and estimated financial aid so you can compare the real four-year cost of each option. EdCost's version automatically totals each column and highlights the least expensive school.

Use the school's published cost of attendance: tuition and mandatory fees, room and board (or off-campus housing plus food), books and supplies, and a realistic figure for transportation, personal expenses, and other fees. Then subtract expected grants and scholarships. That difference is the net price your family actually pays.

The worksheet multiplies each school's annual sticker cost by four years to get the four-year sticker total, then subtracts four years of the estimated grants and scholarships you entered. The result is an estimated four-year net price. It is a planning estimate only — the official aid amount is set by each school's financial aid office.

The reference table on this page uses average published (sticker) prices for full-time undergraduates from the College Board Trends in College Pricing 2026 report, retrieved on August 11, 2026: public in-state tuition $11,610, out-of-state $23,630, private nonprofit $43,350, and community college $3,990 per year. Average net prices after aid are also College Board figures.

Compare the net price of each offer, not the sticker price, because institutional grants vary widely. Fill in each college's actual aid offer on the worksheet, check the official net price calculator on each school's website, and use the printed table to discuss cost with your family before committing.