Financial Aid

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

2025–26 Tuition Total $40,936

$326 million
Our capital campaign raised millions to keep your tuition low, provide generous scholarships, and support the best teaching faculty in the world

$40,936 tuition + $18,524 average housing, food, fees
With gifts from alumni and friends, we lowered tuition in 2018 and have kept it low since

$23,331
Average cost of attendance after financial aid

St. John’s By the Numbers

32%

More than quarter of the St. John's Class of 2028 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: $40,936. We also provide generous need-based financial aid and merit scholarships to further reduce costs. On average, students pay $23,331 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.

Fully Covered Tuition Freshman Year for U.S. Students from Families Earning Under $75,000: U.S. citizens and permanent residents who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), show total income of $75,000 or less, and have typical assets are guaranteed to receive federal and institutional grants equal to or greater than the cost of freshman year tuition. Depending upon individual financial need, students may also receive grants, loans, and work study opportunities that reduce the cost of housing and food. After freshman year, unless income or assets change, the grants will remain the same.

Financial Aid

Average Cost of Attendance After Financial Aid

Tuition $40,936

plusAvg. Housing, Food, Fees $18,524

minusAvg. Financial Aid $36,129

Total $23,331

*This is an estimated average for 2025–26 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 $40,936.

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 $40,936. No one pays more.

In addition to tuition, students who live on campus pay housing, food, and other required fees. These average $18,524. As a result, the total cost of attendance is approximately $59,460.

We know that even a $40,936 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 $23,331 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 $40,936.

New Mexico Grant

If you are admitted and enroll on the St. John’s Santa Fe campus, and if you 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 $15,936 New Mexico Grant for 2025-26, reducing your tuition to $25,000. You will continue to receive this $15,936 grant for all four years should you remain in good standing on the Santa Fe campus. 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.

Pritzker Pell Match

If you are a recipient of a federal Pell Grant, then St. John’s matches your Pell Grant with an additional scholarship. This special Pritzker Pell Match doubles the value of your Pell Grant, making St. John’s affordable for families of all backgrounds.

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.