How much is the average EFC?

As of 2023, the average EFC for a four-year undergraduate student was around $14,000 per academic year.

What is a good EFC number on FAFSA?

The overall average EFC is about $10,000, with an average of about $6,000 for students at community colleges and $14,000 at 4-year colleges. Slightly more than half of students have an EFC of $2,500 or less. Slightly more than 10% have an EFC greater than $25,000.

What does an EFC of $50000 mean?

An Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $50,000 means that the family is expected to contribute $50,000 toward the student's education expenses for the academic year.

What is the EFC for 100k income?

The basic theory is that the lower your EFC, the bigger your financial aid award. A family with an adjusted income of $50,000 and two dependents would expect to have an EFC of around $3,800 without considering any other financial assets. A family with income of $100,000, would have an EFC of approximately $20,000.

Is an EFC of 4000 good?

The EFC for the average American household with an AGI of $50,000 will usually range from $3,000 to $4,000. There is no cap on EFCs so some very wealthy families will have EFCs that exceed the cost of an expensive private university.

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Explained

Is 3000 a low EFC?

So, a lower EFC is more beneficial. For a student with the average American household AGI of $50,000, their EFC typically ranges from $3,000-$4,000. Very wealthy families may receive an EFC that is greater than the cost of an expensive private university.

Why is my EFC on FAFSA so high?

EFC is based on the parents' and student's income and assets. A high EFC is likely the result of high income or a high value of assets as reported on the FAFSA. Assets considered include bank account balances, capital gains and, sometimes, equity held in businesses and real estate.

How do I lower my EFC?

Reduce family income

If possible, defer any workplace bonuses or avoid exercising stock options. If you have an investment that's losing money, consider selling it. The capital loss will factor into your adjusted gross income and could lower your EFC.

What is the highest EFC possible?

Use of the expected family contribution

Generally speaking, the lower the EFC, the higher the financial aid award will be. Zero is the lowest EFC number (indicating that the family cannot afford to pay anything) and 999,999 is the highest.

What EFC qualifies for Pell Grant?

The maximum expected family contribution (EFC) eligible for a Pell Grant for the 2023–24 award year is 6656 as compared to 6206 for the 2022–23 award year.

What is a bad EFC score?

Once your FAFSA form is received, the schools arrive at a number between 0 and 4617 that will result in a federal student aid grant for the following academic year. Any person with an EFC number at 0 will receive the maximum amount of student aid, while a number over 5273 will result in no aid at all.

Will I get financial aid if my parents make over $200 K?

But you might be surprised to learn that there are no FAFSA income limits to qualify for aid. For example, a family with a household income of hundreds of thousands of dollars could be helped by other factors in the FAFSA formula, including school costs and the number of siblings also attending school.

What happens if my EFC is too high?

In general, you should receive a more substantial financial aid package with a low EFC, whereas a high EFC means you might need to resort to unsubsidized or private student loans to cover costs your family can't afford. If you're a dependent student and your family's income is below $24,000, your EFC will likely be $0.

How do I interpret my EFC number?

Your college will subtract your EFC from your COA to determine your financial need. For example, if your COA is $40,000 and your EFC is $16,000, your financial need is $24,000. This means you are eligible for a maximum of $24,000 in need-based aid, like federal Pell grants, work-study, or subsidized loans.

What is the EFC of 20k?

The EFC stands for Expected Family Contribution. An EFC of $20,000 USD means that you and your parents are expected to pay $20,000 per year to attend college, and you will Only get financial assistance for the amount of the college Above $20,000 per year.

Is 20k EFC good?

If you have an EFC of $20,000, the college meets 70% of financial need, this leaves you with 30% of unmet need (Example, total cost $40,000 less EFC equals financial need of $20,000 times 30% unmet need $6,000.

Can I still get financial aid if my EFC is high?

Short answer: YES! Longer answer: Regardless of your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) everyone should file the FAFSA. The FAFSA enables students to measure their financial need, and become eligible for federal grants and scholarships, work study programs, and federal student loans.

How accurate is EFC?

The accuracy of your EFC estimate depends upon the accuracy of the information you enter. If you are using the EFC Calculator after you have completed your FAFSA and/or income tax forms and have them to refer to, your results will be more accurate.

Will I have to pay more than my EFC for college?

Despite the name, most families will pay more than the expected family contribution (EFC). The actual family contribution is greater because of unmet need and the inclusion of student loans in the financial aid package.

Could my EFC be wrong?

If you believe that a college has calculated your EFC incorrectly, contact the financial aid office. Financial aid administrators can explain how they determined your EFC and discuss your options. Your EFC may be lowered if your family has had a significant change in income or expenses since you applied.

How do I get my EFC to 0?

The FAFSA assigns an auto-zero EFC to students who report $27,000 or less in income. Eligible applicants are not expected to contribute financially to their college expenses. Only certain groups qualify. Dependent students qualify based on parental or guardian financial information.

Can I dispute my EFC?

A financial aid appeal can either go two ways: it can be denied or approved. If an appeal is approved, the financial aid administrator will make changes on the student's FAFSA. From there, a new EFC will be generated, which will result in a new financial aid package.

What does EFC of 4000 mean?

What does an EFC of 4000 mean? Your EFC is a dollar amount. If your EFC was 4,000 and your college costs are estimated to be only $4,000, you would not be eligible for any need-based aid.

What does EFC of 10000 mean?

If by “EFC” you mean the one calculated from FAFSA, it is used to calculate Pell grant amounts; if your FAFSA EFC is below the maximum Pell grant amount, you get a Pell grant of the maximum Pell grant amount minus the FAFSA EFC. $10,000 is higher than the maximum Pell grant amount, so no Pell grant.

How is EFC calculated 2023?

The CPS calculates a contribution from available income and a contribution from assets. The sum of these two is divided by the number in college in 2023-2024, as reported on the FAFSA form. The result is the EFC for the 2023-2024 award year.