Tuition, Fees & Financial Aid
Your Bucknell education is a transformative investment, and we're here to help.
College is an investment, but it's not one you have to make alone.
In a 2020 analysis of four-year colleges, U.S. News & World Report called Bucknell one of the top 20 "colleges with the best return on investment."
Our Office of Financial Aid staff is here to help every step of the way. More than half of our students receive financial assistance. We'll help you understand all of your options and guide you through the process of applying for grants, loans and work-study opportunities.
Together we can explore all available aid options at Bucknell and help you on your way to becoming part of the Bucknell family.
Get in Touch With Our Team
At the Office of Financial Aid, we welcome your questions throughout your financial aid journey with Bucknell.
In person: 621 St. George Street
By email: finaid@bucknell.edu
On the phone: 570-577-1331
Cost Breakdown for 2025-26
Tuition:
$69,976
Housing:
$10,846
Approximate Meal Plan Cost:
$6,714
Activity Fee:
$600
Total comprehensive cost*:
$88,136
Average Total Need-Based Package†:
$52,500
†Represents the average total need-based package for a student who demonstrates financial need (based on data from the previous incoming class). A total need-based aid award can include a combination of Bucknell need-based grant funding, federal grants, state grants, federal work-study and a federal subsidized student loan. We evaluate income, untaxed income, assets and other family information from both the custodial and non-custodial parents to determine financial aid eligibility.
Detailed Cost Breakdown
Bucknell lists three costs of attendance. The first applies to students living in on-campus housing with a meal plan, the second applies to students living off campus in a building unaffiliated with the University, and the third applies to students living at home with their families and commuting to campus.
For the 2025-26 academic year, the total cost of attendance is listed below.
Other Fees and Charges
(if applicable)
Please direct questions about these fees and charges to the Bursar's Office at 570-577-3733 or bursar@bucknell.edu.
- Orientation fee: $350 one time only
The following fees are by specific request only:
- Audit fee (nonrefundable): $150 per course
- Credit by examination (nonrefundable): $225 per course
- Private music lessons (nonrefundable): $588 per semester
- Single-course rate (subject to tuition refund policy): $7,682 (part-time students only)
Fees are subject to change without notice. Some academic departments may charge fees or require deposits separate from those listed here.
Monthly Payment Plan
Administered by Nelnet Campus Commerce, the Bucknell Monthly Plan divides college costs into consecutive, monthly, interest-free installments.
- Enrollment opens in May for the fall semester and in October for the spring semester.
- Plans are by semester only and do not roll to the following semester.
- To minimize the amount of your monthly payments, be sure to enroll by June 1 for the fall term and by Nov. 1 for the spring term.
- Application fee (subject to change) is $50.
- Both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens may apply for the payment plan.
For further information or to apply, contact Nelnet at 800-609-8056 or mycollegepaymentplan.com/bucknell.
I am so grateful I decided to come to Bucknell — mainly because of the community I found through the Gamgort Family Gateway Scholars Program. The support, encouragement and resources completely changed my perspective. Because of the scholarship, I can pursue the major — and eventually the career — that I have dreamed of doing since I was a child.
Kaylin Reynolds ’27, English — creative writing
Bucknell at a Glance
Undergraduate students
Students who receive need- or merit-based financial aid from Bucknell
Students who receive financial aid of some kind
Average federal student loan indebtedness upon graduation for the Class of 2022, among students who borrowed (compared to about $30,000 nationally)