The top 10 colleges for financial aid

These days college affordability is a huge concern, and as a result, more students and their families are wary of applying to pricey private schools.

That is a mistake.

Yes, annual tuition and fees plus room and board at four-year, private universities is much higher — $49,870, on average — compared to public institutions — at $21,950 — in the current academic year, according to the College Board.

However, about two-thirds of all full-time students receive aid, which can bring the sticker price significantly down.

“If you are concerned about taking on too much debt, you are not alone,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and author of “The Best Value Colleges.”

“But the truth is, there are many, many schools that are making college affordable,” he said.

When it comes to offering aid, private schools typically have more money to spend, Franek said.

“That hefty sticker cost might be intimidating but find out the average cost that students and parents are actually paying,” Franek said. “It could end up being less expensive than your local public college.”

To that end, The Princeton Review ranked colleges by how much financial aid is awarded and how satisfied students are with their packages. The report is based on data collected from fall 2018 through summer 2019.

The top schools for financial aid are all private and have eye-popping list prices, including tuition, fees, room and board, yet their very generous aid packages make them surprisingly affordable.

Here are the colleges that made The Princeton Review’s top 10:

Location: Houston, Texas
Sticker price: $63,252
Average need-based scholarship: $43,174
Total out-of-pocket cost: $20,078

This private research university in Houston was originally founded as a tuition-free institution and it remains committed to affordability. Students with family incomes below $65,000 now receive grant aid covering not only full tuition but also fees and room and board. Students with family incomes between $65,000 and $130,000 receive full-tuition scholarships and those with family incomes between $130,000 and $200,000 get scholarships covering at least half of their tuition, according to the school.

Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Sticker price: $72,100
Average need-based scholarship: $56,602
Total out-of-pocket cost: $15,498

This Ivy puts its money where its mouth is: Committed to meeting 100% of each applicant’s demonstrated need, Yale spends more than $140 million on financial aid each year. The average scholarship award is around $50,000 and more than 10% of the student body will pay nothing at all next year. For the 6% that get accepted, that’s a huge win.

Location: Brunswick, Maine
Sticker price: $68,620
Average need-based scholarship: $47,522
Total out-of-pocket cost: $21,098

This small liberal arts college on the coast of Maine is a triple threat: highly competitive, picturesque and price-sensitive. In fact, the school stopped using loans in their financial aid packages over a decade ago, replacing them with grants instead. Now, nearly half of the student body receives aid and the average scholarship is nearly $50,000.

Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Sticker price: $72,192
Average need-based scholarship: $47,335
Total out-of-pocket cost: $24,857

At first glance, Wash U. is one of the pricier schools on The Princeton Review list. However, it is similarly committed to helping defray the cost without relying on loan debt. For starters, it has eliminated need-based loans to students from low- and middle-income families, which means that those dollars never have to be paid back.

Location: Grinnell, Iowa
Sticker price: $67,646
Average need-based scholarship: $43,783
Total out-of-pocket cost: $23,863

Grinnell is a college with the resources of a school 10 times its size, according to the admissions office. As a result, the school is committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated need. The average need-based scholarship for incoming freshmen is close to $45,000 and about 86% of first-year students receive some form of aid.

Location: Williamstown, Massachusetts
Sticker price: $72,270
Average need-based scholarship: $55,621
Total out-of-pocket cost: $16,649

While the total price at this top school comes to over $72,000 a year, Williams guarantees that it will meet 100% of a student’s financial need for all four years, including course materials, books and even the costs to study abroad.

Location: Claremont, California
Sticker price: $71,980
Average need-based scholarship: $53,123
Total out-of-pocket cost: $18,857

As a member of the Claremont Colleges, a group of highly regarded schools just outside of Los Angeles, Pomona’s need-blind admissions policy stands apart. The school meets 100% of students’ financial need with packages that consist entirely of grants, scholarships and work-study.

Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Sticker price: $68,980
Average need-based scholarship: $49,076
Total out-of-pocket cost: $19,904

Vanderbilt’s financial aid packages do not include loans. In addition to gift assistance, the school is known for its three signature scholarships, which all cover full tuition and offer summer stipends to study abroad, complete service projects or conduct research. And they are renewable for all four years.

Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Sticker price: $62,750
Average need-based scholarship: $51,365
Total out-of-pocket cost: $11,385

This is another elite Ivy League school that makes the top of many college lists. It’s also highly regarded for its war on student debt. Princeton was one of the first schools to eliminate all loans for students who qualify for aid. Instead, awards come in the form of grants that do not need to be repaid and, as of the latest tally, nearly two-thirds of students receive grant aid.