What it takes to be a “Best-Value”

Elon has never favored the “high price, high discount” model found at other top private universities.

We understand that the cost of a college education is daunting for most families. So Elon has adopted three strategies that favor students and consistently earn top “best-value” rankings for the university.

A reasonable total price

With a lower price than most peer institutions, Elon effectively gives every student a substantial up-front scholarship.

2023-24 Tuition, fees, food & housing published rates for peer private universities:
Boston College $83,680
Georgetown University $89,381
Bucknell University $80,890
Wake Forest University $82,606
Villanova University $81,858
Lehigh University $78,650
Santa Clara University $77,571
Vanderbilt University $85,000
Emory University $79,746
Davidson College $76,450
University of Richmond $78,810
Rollins College $74,490
Furman University $74,180
Loyola University Maryland $72,870
Rice University $74,028
Ithaca College $66,540
Butler University $61850
Average $76,577
Elon University $60,657

 

The four-year advantage

College costs overwhelm many students because they take five or six years to graduate. This means higher tuition and housing costs along with delayed entry into the workforce.

Elon’s four-year graduation rate is 80%. A well-managed class schedule allows students to get the courses they need, and credits from the one-month Winter Term, included in the cost of fall tuition, help ensure an on-time graduation.

Using tuition to fund what’s most important: learning

The average private college uses more than 50 percent of total tuition revenue to fund financial aid. This tuition discount practice has forced many schools into budgetary crisis.

Elon takes a different approach. With more reasonable costs for tuition, room and board, there is less demand to discount tuition. As a result, Elon is better positioned to use tuition dollars to fund innovative academic programs and student services.