When students and families use a net price calculator, they’re trying to answer a simple question: Can I afford to go to this school? But “cost of attendance” can feel anything but simple. That’s because it includes direct costs (billed by the institution, like tuition and fees) and indirect costs (estimated living expenses, like housing, meals, books, transportation, and personal expenses).

Institutions are required to show students the total cost of attendance so that students can make informed decisions about where they attend school based on how much it will cost. While this is well-intentioned, many students see a big number and assume it’s what they’ll owe the school—creating confusion and sticker shock. The indirect portion can be a major deterrent, even though many of those expenses exist no matter where a student enrolls. 

That’s why we’re excited to offer an easy (and compliant) way to help students see what they’ll pay to the institution vs. what they may spend on living expenses.

The update: one click to separate direct vs. indirect costs

Meadow Price partners can now offer even more cost clarity to families with an Indirect Costs toggle on the net price estimate screen.

By default, students still see the full cost of attendance—and then with one click, they can toggle indirect costs off to view a “direct costs only” version of the estimate.

This makes it easy for students to understand:

• What they’ll owe the institution
• What they may need to budget for outside of billed charges
• Why the “total” number is higher than the amount they’ll actually pay the school

Why institutions care

We’ve heard the same thing again and again: students see a big number and assume it’s all billed by the institution. That misunderstanding can derail an otherwise strong financial fit.

The indirect cost toggle helps financial aid and enrollment leaders:

• Reduce confusion without hiding key context
• Support more transparent conversations throughout the admissions process
• Present affordability more clearly by showing what’s billed vs. estimated living expenses

Ready to sharpen your cost clarity?

If you’re a Meadow Price partner and curious about the indirect cost toggle, reach out to npcupdates@meadowfi.com. Learn more about Meadow Price here.