New Promise Programs Launch for Families Making Under $100K

"But he didn't think he could afford the high price tag. At a presentation by admissions officials, though, he learned about the W&L Promise, which covers the full cost of tuition for all students whose families fall into a specific income bracket. Once he got his aid offers back from colleges, WLU was the obvious choice, costing him just $5,000 annually, a sum that he paid out of pocket using money he made from summer research jobs."

"WLU has one of the oldest tuition-guarantee programs in the country. It launched in 2014, offering free tuition to students whose families make less than $75,000 each year; now, that number has surged up to $150,000, and students whose family income is less than $75,000 also get free room and board. Since then, more and more colleges-especially, but not only, selective private institutions-are offering completely free tuition to students whose families fall under a certain income threshold."

Washington & Lee University established a tuition-guarantee program in 2014 that initially covered full tuition for students from families earning under $75,000. The program's income threshold has since increased to $150,000, and families under $75,000 additionally receive free room and board. A growing number of colleges, particularly selective private institutions, now offer free tuition to students below set income cutoffs. Typical maximum thresholds are around $100,000, covering roughly 57 percent of U.S. families as of 2024, while some schools extend free tuition to families earning up to $200,000.

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