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The Net Price Calculator is meant to provide a quick and directionally accurate estimate. It is designed for use by a broad audience and doesn't take into account all of your unique circumstances - something that our Financial Aid Committee can do. The NPC assumes a typical United States cost of living and tax structure, so those living in an area with a lower cost of living, or those who pay lower than average income, state, or local taxes for their overall income will find that it is less accurate for them. Families with significant wealth will also find that the calculator is less accurate for them.

The NPC estimate is only as good as the information you input. The most common mistake in filling out the NPC is to forget to include untaxed income like income that you defer to tax-deferred retirement accounts. Another common mistake is to subtract taxes from the income that you input in the NPC. The NPC asks for pre-tax income - it assumes taxes as part of the calculation, and so subtracting your taxes from the NPC will give you a less accurate estimate.