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December 31, 2012
Can You Afford College?

Determine how much your family can afford for college, and ways to access additional funds for school.

Transcript

Over their lifetimes, college graduates typically earn a half a million dollars more than high school grads. But, they also rack up student loans averaging $25,000 or more. Before enrolling, crunch the numbers. Each school posts a net price calculator on its website that includes tuition, fees, room and board and other expenses. It also factors in the impact of financial aid, work-study and other cost adjustments–based on your individual situation. These calculators aren't an exact apples-to-apples comparison, but they're a good start. A few quick tips: Apply for federal student aid before considering private loans; research salaries for graduates in your chosen field.

Bottom line: College education can provide tremendous advantages–just don't get saddled with too much debt.

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