Study finds Penn State and Pitt are 2 of the Most Expensive Universities for Lower Income Students

[JPZenger]

http://newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Merit_Aid%20Final.pdf

The above study looks at the actual tuition charged, after any financial aid, by various colleges and universities to students eligible for federal Pell Grants.

The study found that many universities have shifted much of their financial aid towards merit as opposed to basing it upon financial need.

It found that Penn State, Pitt and several Penn State branch campuses charged some of the highest net tuition rates to lower income students, among all public universities in the country.

[JPZenger]

1. We always knew they had the highest list price, but they also have the worst need-based aid

What this study shows is that Pitt and Penn State not only continue to have the highest in-state list price among public universities, but they also offer some of the worst need-based aid for students with financial need.

This is not a great surprise - many middle income students find that they can attend some private colleges for a lower net price than Penn State or Pitt, because those private colleges often offer better merit and need-based aid.