The sticker price of a top US or Canadian university can look terrifying — often USD 85,000 or more per year. But at the need-blind universities AFEX Hub targets, very few families pay that full amount. Our free Net Price Calculator shows what your family is likely to actually pay, after scholarship and financial aid. Here is how to use it well.
What the Net Price Calculator does
The calculator estimates your net price — the total cost of attendance minus the scholarship and financial aid you are likely to receive. Instead of reacting to a scary sticker price, you get a realistic, personalised number to plan around before you ever apply.
The sticker price is what a university charges. The net price is what your family actually pays — and for most of our families the gap is enormous.
Step 1 — Enter your family information
Start with your region of residence, family size, and how many children will be in college at the same time. These figures shape the expected family contribution: larger families and multiple children in college generally reduce the amount any one student is expected to contribute.
Step 2 — Enter income and assets accurately
Use your family’s most recent pre-tax income, converted to US dollars, and include untaxed income such as retirement contributions. For assets, use current values but exclude your family home and retirement accounts. The single most common mistake is entering after-tax income — always enter the pre-tax figure or your estimate will be too optimistic.
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Convert all figures to US dollars for consistency.
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Use pre-tax (gross) income, not take-home pay.
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Exclude the family home and retirement accounts from assets.
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If parents are separated, each parent runs the calculator separately.
Step 3 — Read your estimate
The calculator shows your estimated scholarship, your family cost (broken into parent contribution, student assets, and term-time work), and the full billed and unbilled cost of attendance including travel from your region. Treat the number as directional — it is a strong planning anchor, not an official award letter.
Step 4 — Turn the number into a plan
Once you know your likely net price, the real work begins: building a list of need-blind and full-need universities where that number holds, and a strong application to win a place. That is exactly what an AFEX Hub consultation maps out — bring your estimate along and we will build the strategy around it.
Try the Net Price Calculator now, then book a consultation to turn your estimate into an action plan.
Joseph Lawson
Academic Director
