Understanding Eastern Washington University Tuition and Fees
Planning for college expenses is a crucial part of the application process. Knowing what a school costs is the first step in managing these costs. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the tuition, fees, and financial aid options available at Eastern Washington University (EWU). It aims to provide prospective students and their families with the necessary information to make informed decisions about financing their education.
The Cost of Attendance: Sticker Price
The "Cost of Attendance" represents the total amount of money the average student has to pay to attend a particular school, without any financial aid. Think of it as a school’s sticker price. This figure includes tuition and fees, the cost of food and housing, books and supplies, and transportation and personal expenses.
Eastern Washington University's tuition is $8,586 for in-state and $25,959 for out-of-state students. Fees differ by institution and may fund library services, student gym facilities, student centers, technology resources and campus health centers. Compared with the national average cost of in-state tuition of $12,436, Eastern Washington University is cheaper. For students coming from out of state, the tuition is cheaper than the national average cost of out-of-state tuition of $29,815. The Cost of Attendance breakdown for Eastern Washington University differs depending on whether you’re an in-state or out-of-state student - in-state students can expect lower costs for tuition and fees. Because Eastern Washington University is an out-of-state public institution, you'd be paying $11651 more than if you were an in-state student.
- In-State Tuition: $7,776 per year
- Out-of-State Tuition: $24,963 per year
- Books and Supplies: $800 per year
- Personal Expenses: $3,867 per year
Financial Aid: Grants and Scholarships
Financial aid can include grants, loans, scholarships and work-study jobs. Financial aid packages vary depending on your financial need. Most colleges determine financial need based on your FAFSA. Grants and scholarships are better than loans because students don’t ever have to pay them back. Although it’s useful to know how many students get grant aid, it’s also important to know how much grant aid people tend to receive. Altogether, this is mixed news - at Eastern Washington University, FEWER students get aid, but the ones who do get MORE than average. If you qualify for aid, this can work out well, since you'll get a sizable award. The grant dollar amounts we’ve seen so far have included aid from all sources - both federal and institutional. To figure out how strong Eastern Washington University’s own financial aid program is, we’ll look at how they award their own (non-federal) financial aid dollars.
- Average Aid Package Awarded: $9,475
- Need-Based Scholarship or Grant Award: Scholarships and grants don’t need to be paid back.
Student Loans: Federal and Private
Aside from grants, the other major way to pay for college is with student loans. The more student loan money you borrow, the more debt you’ll end up with after graduation. Ideally, you want to minimize your student debt as much as possible. It’s generally a bad sign if a school has many students taking out a lot of loans. It’s very common for college grads in the US to graduate with some debt, but high percentages of students taking on loans at a particular school is a big red flag. It’s a good sign that lower numbers of students take out loans at Eastern Washington University. We’ll start with federal loans because, in general, federal loans are preferable to private loans. Federal loans tend to have low interest rates, which means they cost less in the long run. High percentages or amounts of federal loans still isn’t a great sign - again, you don’t want to see students burdened with too much debt.
Read also: Future Leaders Program: Far Eastern Group
At Eastern Washington University, 57% of all students take out federal loans. At Eastern Washington University, the average annual federal loan amount is $5313. Other loans, or private loans, are the last resource students turn to when paying for college. At Eastern Washington University, 3% of students take out private loans. Just as important as the percentage of students with private loans is the average loan amount. The average private loan amount at Eastern Washington University is $8902. The percentage of students getting federal loans is greater than those getting private loans, which is a good sign.
- Need-Based Loan Amount: Loans must be paid back.
Net Price: What You'll Actually Pay
The Net Price is the total cost minus the total aid given. In other words, this is the price you have to pay to the school out of pocket.
- Average Net Price: $12,827 per year
The net price you pay for a particular college is specific to you because it’s based on your personal circumstances and the college’s financial aid policies. Use the college’s Net Price calculator for the most accurate estimate of your net price.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
The US government has come up with a standardized way to calculate how much a typical family can afford to pay without help. As an example, a family that brings home $80,000 in income before taxes, with no assets and no other children in college, has an EFC of around $7,000. Colleges use this number as a guideline to decide how much aid to give you, but it's just a guideline. If the Net Price is higher than the EFC, the school will cost more than you can typically afford.
Financial Aid Dates and Application
- Application Due: The last day to apply for financial aid or turn in related paperwork.
- Priority Application Due: Applications received prior to this date will be given the strongest consideration. Still apply for financial aid if you don’t make this due date.
- Notification Date: When students receive a letter with the amount and types of aid the college is offering.
- Response Due: The deadline for students to respond to the college’s aid offer.
Value and Alternatives
As a regional school, Eastern Washington University may not be a household name nationwide, but it's known to people in the local area as a solid school. Compared to some other regional schools, Eastern Washington University didn't appear on our best value lists. This might be because the net price is higher than for other schools of similar reputation. This isn't the end of the world - you can likely still afford Eastern Washington University by taking out loans, earning scholarships, or working part-time. Overall, Eastern Washington University is a decent value, and going to college here will likely pay off over time. There are a lot of potential financial benefits that come with attending a school close to home. For example, in-state public schools tend to have subsidized tuitions for state residents.
Read also: A Detailed Look at ECNU
Your next step should be to get a better idea of costs and aid availability at similar schools. If you’re interested in Eastern Washington University, you should check out some other high-value schools that could give you more bang for your buck.
Read also: ESU Tuition Guide
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