Our Data Sources
- • U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard – official graduate earnings and net prices
- • IPEDS institutional reporting – verified financial aid data
- • Updated annually when federal data is released
Our Mission
Why College Aid Index Exists
Make college affordability transparent, trustworthy, and actionable for every family.
The Problem
Every year, families face a $1.7 trillion question: Is this college worth it?
But the answer is hidden behind:
- • Misleading sticker prices that nobody actually pays
- • Average financial aid numbers that include loans, not just grants
- • Prestige rankings that ignore career outcomes and actual cost
- • Colleges' own marketing claims with no independent verification
The result? Families overpay for low-value degrees or avoid high-value colleges they assume they can't afford.
Our Mission
College Aid Index was built to solve this: make college affordability transparent, trustworthy, and actionable.
We believe every family deserves:
- ✓ Data you can trust – from official federal sources, not marketing brochures
- ✓ Insight you can use – clear scores that answer "Is this worth it?" and "Will they make it affordable?"
- ✓ Transparency – published methodology you can verify yourself
We work for families, not institutions. We don't sell leads to colleges. We don't accept advertising. We have no conflicts of interest.
How We Do It
Our Methodology
-
Value Score: Earning power per dollar invested
Median Earnings ÷ Net Price -
Generosity Score: Institutional commitment to affordability
Grant Aid ÷ Net Price (fallback to tuition discount/COA when grants aren't reported) - Read full methodology →
Who We Serve
Parents & Students
Making the biggest financial decision of your life with clarity, not guesswork.
Counselors & Advisors
Equip your families with objective data to supplement your guidance.
Journalists & Researchers
Cite trustworthy college affordability benchmarks in your reporting.
Our Commitment to You
🔒 Independence
No college partnerships, no lead generation, no conflicts of interest. We answer to families, not institutions.
📊 Transparency
Open methodology, clear data sources, documented limitations. You can verify our work yourself.
✓ Accuracy
Annual updates, data quality validation, correction policy. We hold ourselves to high standards.
🔐 Privacy
Your searches and reports are private. We don't sell your data. Your privacy is not for sale.
Get Involved
Questions? Reach out to [email protected]
We're here to replace guesswork with clarity.