Bold.org provides free data on education statistics, focusing on financial aid and scholarships. In the interest of fighting student debt and making college affordable for all students, we believe this information should be accessible for everyone.
Statistics Report Summary
The average total cost of tuition, room and board, and fees at a four-year institution in the 2022-2023 school year was $30,884, a 139% increase from the 2000-2001 school year.
The average total cost of tuition, room and board, and fees at a four-year institution in the 2000-2001 school year was $12,922.
The U.S. Department of Education awards over $120 billion annually through grants, work-study funds, and student loans to students in need.
Bold.org, a private student fintech and scholarship company, awards an average of $6.38 million annually through scholarships to students in need.
Average College Costs
The average total cost of attendance at a four-year public institution in the 2022-2023 school year was $22,389.
The average total cost of attendance at a four-year private institution in the 2022-2023 school year was $49,654.
The average total cost of attendance at a two-year public institution in the 2022-2023 school year was $11,953.
The average total cost of attendance at a two-year private institution in the 2022-2023 school year was $28,792.
Student Loan Rates and Statistics
The average interest rate for a 5-year variable private student loan in March 2025 is 6.04%.
The average interest rate for a 10-year fixed private student loan in March 2025 is 7.60%.
The fixed interest rate for federal direct subsidized loans and direct unsubsidized loans for undergraduate students is 6.53%.
The fixed interest rate for federal direct unsubsidized loans for graduate or professional students is 8.08%.
The fixed interest rate for federal direct PLUS loans for parents and graduate or professional students is 9.08%.
General Scholarship Funding and Distribution
58% of American families use scholarships to pay for some college tuition costs each year.
Over 1.7 million scholarships are awarded each year.
The largest federal scholarship fund, the Pell Grant, provides support to 7.5 million students each year.
The U.S. Department of Education awards around $46 billion through scholarships each year.
16% of students receive state scholarships, and 13% of students receive private scholarships during their postsecondary education.
Around one in eight college students will receive a scholarship.
The average student has a 12.5% chance of winning a scholarship of any monetary value.
Of the students who receive scholarships, over 97% receive less than $2,500 in funding.
Only 0.2% of students who receive scholarships are awarded $25,000 or more.
Around 0.1% of students receive full-ride scholarships, which cover the total cost of education and living expenses.
The average high school student qualifies for up to 100 scholarships.
Scholarship Distribution by Platform
Since its establishment in 2020, Bold.org has awarded a total of $34.4 million in scholarships to 5,545 students.
Since its establishment in 1958, Scholarship America awarded a total of $5.7 billion in scholarships to 3.2 million students.
Since 2019, the College Board has awarded over $20 million in scholarships to over 24,000 students.
In 2024, Bold.org distributed $8.42 million in direct financial aid.
In 2024, Scholarship America distributed $315 million in direct financial aid.
Since 2020, Bold.org has published 4,229 scholarships.
In 2024, Bold.org published 1,242 scholarships.
The average award amount winners receive from Bold.org is $1,778.
The largest scholarship amount Bold.org has awarded is $50,000.
Average State Aid Projections for 2025
The U.S. Department of Education estimates that $39.3 billion will be distributed through Federal Pell Grants.
The U.S. Department of Education estimates that $910 million will be distributed through Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants.
The U.S. Department of Education estimates that $1.2 billion will be distributed through Federal Work-Study programs.
In total, the U.S. Department of Education estimates that $41.4 billion will be distributed through all federal postsecondary education programs.
State/Region
Estimated State Aid Provided Through Postsecondary Education Programs for 2025 in $
Alabama
647,646,946
Alaska
45,120,963
American Samoa
7,330,973
Arizona
1,776,910,630
Arkansas
358,003,790
California
5,456,598,998
Colorado
716,629,275
Connecticut
497,960,981
Delaware
93,186,379
District of Columbia
293,610,032
Florida
2,877,780,733
Georgia
1,574,991,785
Guam
16,483,986
Hawaii
94,130,959
Idaho
238,475,605
Illinois
1,384,387,381
Indiana
782,369,030
Iowa
326,076,279
Kansas
332,832,265
Kentucky
568,718,233
Louisiana
683,923,278
Maine
141,008,723
Maryland
568,531,619
Massachusetts
698,261,444
Michigan
979,537,264
Minnesota
619,648,179
Mississippi
462,332,668
Missouri
608,692,725
Montana
77,020,161
Nebraska
211,747,194
Nevada
230,309,850
New Hampshire
382,604,007
New Jersey
972,226,321
New Mexico
218,532,650
New York
2,500,061,767
North Carolina
1,214,381,944
North Dakota
68,792,248
Ohio
1,075,381,976
Oklahoma
441,037,099
Oregon
373,889,816
Pennsylvania
1,167,883,819
Puerto Rico
967,998,990
Rhode Island
149,459,293
South Carolina
525,303,023
South Dakota
80,217,727
Tennessee
811,785,449
Texas
3,876,118,511
Utah
745,077,509
Vermont
63,226,860
Virgin Islands
4,948,916
Virginia
1,064,998,915
Washington
526,028,729
West Virginia
282,992,753
Wisconsin
496,808,022
Wyoming
41,636,359
Largest Federal Scholarship Fund: Pell Grant Statistics
Founded in 1972, the Pell Grant provides support for around 7 million students each year (1/3 of undergraduate students).
Over 50 years, the Pell Grant has provided college tuition assistance to 80 million low-income students.
In the 1975-76 academic year, the maximum Pell Grant award was worth over 75% of the average cost of attendance at a four-year public university. This included tuition, fees, and living expenses.
In the 2022-2023 academic year, the maximum Pell Grant award was worth 30% of the average cost of attendance at a four-year public university.
In the 2022-2023 academic year, the average award provided by the Pell Grant to undergraduate university students was $4,875.
In the 2021-2022 academic year, 33% of bachelor’s degree-granting institutions and 49% of community colleges were affordable to Pell Grant recipients. Affordability was measured by the National College Attainment Network.
Profile of Students Receiving Financial Aid in 2020
71.4% of all undergraduates receive some aid, either from federal or nonfederal sources.
Of female undergraduate students, 59.9% received federal aid, and 51.4% received nonfederal aid.
Of male undergraduate students, 50.8% received federal aid, and 49.3% received nonfederal aid.
57.7% of American Indian/Alaska Native undergraduate students received federal student aid.
47.2% of Asian undergraduate students received federal student aid.
71.7% of Black undergraduate students received federal student aid.
57.6% of Hispanic undergraduate students received federal student aid.
56.6% of Pacific Islander undergraduate students received federal student aid.
52.9% of White undergraduate students received federal student aid.
54.3% of undergraduate students identifying as two or more races received federal student aid.
White students have a 14.2% chance of receiving a scholarship, while minority students’ chances of winning a scholarship are 11.2%.
Athletic Scholarships
The total value of scholarships in NCAA I schools was $2.76 billion in 2020.
The total value of scholarships in NCAA II schools was $752 million in 2020.
Football was the college sport with the highest participation, with 899 participating schools and 93,776 total athletes.
Soccer was the college sport with the second-highest participation, with 1,733 participating schools and 84,087 total athletes.
NCAA D1, D2, NAIA Sports
Total Available Scholarships
Track & Cross Country
29,341
Football
27,304
Basketball
19,732
Soccer
16,237
Volleyball
8,878
Baseball
8,189
Softball
7,657
Tennis
6,719
Golf
6,579
Swimming
6,177
Lacrosse
4,323
Rowing
2,080
Ice Hockey
1,949
Wrestling
1,926
Field Hockey
1,157
Gymnastics
856
Bowling
685
Water Polo
550
Beach Volleyball
452
Equestrian
345
Fencing
249
Skiing
227
Rugby
180
Triathlon
90
Rifle
77
Scholarship Outcomes
A survey of California high school seniors found that students eligible for performance-based scholarships allocate more time for educational activities, consequently decreasing time spent on other activities like work and leisure.
Data from two New York City community college scholarship programs shows that receiving a scholarship encouraged full-time enrollment. Full-time enrollment increased by 4.1% in the first semester students received a scholarship, and increased by 6% in the second semester.
A study on the effects of the Georgia HOPE scholarship, which provides grade incentives to students but not credit incentives, found that the scholarship reduced the likelihood of students registering for a full credit load. In addition, the scholarship increased the likelihood that students would withdraw from courses. While not conclusive regarding the effects of all scholarships on students, this may be an example of the unintended effects scholarships can have in motivating educationally unproductive habits.