Financial Aid

Why is St. John’s more affordable than most colleges?

2022–23 Tuition Total $36,040

$300 million
Our capital campaign is raising millions to keep your tuition low, provide generous scholarships, and support the best teaching faculty in the world

$36,040 tuition + $15,830 average room, board, fees
With gifts from alumni and friends, we lowered tuition in 2018 and have kept it low since

$24,500
Average cost of attendance after financial aid

St. John’s By the Numbers

21%

Nearly a quarter of the St. John's Class of 2022 are Pell eligible students

$6M+

St. John’s awarded more than $6 million in scholarships to freshmen

#5

St. John's tuition ranks as one of the most affordable among Top 50 Liberal Arts Colleges

Making College Attainable for All

St. John’s is committed to making college affordable for all students seeking a Great Books education. Our financial aid process breaks the mold because it’s friendly, transparent, and honest. We have one of the most affordable tuitions of any top liberal arts college in the United States: $36,040. We also provide generous need-based financial aid and merit scholarships to further reduce costs. On average, students pay $24,500 to attend St. John’s. We understand that everyone’s financial situation is different. As a result, we give you personal attention and individualize the process. Don’t hesitate to contact the Financial Aid Office with questions or concerns. We will guide you.

Financial Aid

Average Cost of Attendance After Financial Aid

Tuition $36,040

plusAvg. Room, Board, Fees $15,830

minusAvg. Financial Aid $27,370

Total $24,500

*This is an estimated average for 2022–23 based on historic data. Financial aid packages vary based on your financial circumstances. For an individualized estimate, please try our net price calculator.

Graduate Financial Aid Information

How Much Does It All Cost?

At most private colleges, fees rise every year to result in tuitions near $60,000. St. John’s is breaking the mold by reducing tuition to $36,040.

Undergraduate Tuition 2007-2020

St. John's

Most private liberal arts colleges

Small, faculty-taught classes mean it costs over $60,000 to educate a student at St. John’s, but every student benefits from the generosity of our alumni and friends, whose philanthropy lowers tuition to $36,040. No one pays more.

In addition to tuition, students who live on campus pay room, board, and other required fees. These average $15,830. As a result, the total cost of attendance is approximately $51,870.

We know that even a $36,040 tuition puts St. John’s out of reach for many families, so the college provides generous need-based financial aid to make us affordable for all students, domestic and international. 85% of students receive some need-based financial aid. On average, with financial aid, students pay $24,500 per year.

How Do Merit Scholarships Work?

At St. John’s, we are redefining merit scholarships. You are more than a grade or test score, so why should scholarships be determined by grades and test scores? On the basis of your application for admission, we look for those students who exhibit the best qualities of a Johnnie: avid and ambitious reading habits; deep curiosity about the world around them; thoughtfulness and insightfulness; courage in asking hard questions of the world—and of themselves; and seeking meaning in their lives.

For those who receive a merit scholarship, the scholarship can range up to a full-tuition fellowship worth $36,040.

New Mexico Grant

If you are admitted to the St. John’s Santa Fe campus and are a legal New Mexico resident who graduated high school in New Mexico, or completed homeschooling/GED in New Mexico, you will receive an automatic $10,000 New Mexico Grant, reducing your tuition even further. For legally independent individuals who are not students and can demonstrate they are permanent New Mexico residents of at least 12 months, but who have not graduated high school in New Mexico or have not completed homeschooling/GED in New Mexico, St. John’s will make a case-by-case determination about whether the individual qualifies.

Alumni Careers

College affordability includes what happens after college. Johnnies include the author of the national anthem, the creator of the most important winery in America, the editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post, and a United States Senator.