Yale University will eliminate tuition costs for undergraduate students from U.S. families earning less than $200,000 annually, joining a growing number of elite institutions working to improve college affordability.
The New Haven, Connecticut-based Ivy League university said the new policy, effective for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year, will completely cover all expenses—including tuition, room, and board—for families earning up to $100,000. Those with incomes between $100,000 and $200,000 will receive financial aid packages that meet or exceed tuition costs.
"This policy aligns with Yale's mission to educate exceptional students from all backgrounds," said Yale's Provost Dr. Scott Strobel.
The expanded initiative significantly raises the threshold from Yale's previous policy, established in 2020, which provided free tuition only to families earning up to $75,000.
Currently, approximately 1,000 of Yale's 6,800 undergraduate students attend tuition-free, while just over half receive need-based financial aid, according to Kari DiFonzo, director of undergraduate financial aid. Without assistance, annual costs at Yale can reach $90,000, including tuition, housing, and meals.
Yale's announcement follows similar moves by peer institutions. Harvard University, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania all announced last year they would offer free tuition for families earning $200,000 or less beginning this fall. Emory University in Atlanta will implement a comparable policy for the upcoming academic year.
The initiatives come amid growing debate over college affordability and whether higher education provides sufficient return on investment. Despite financial aid, the average cost of attending a four-year college was $30,000 as of 2024, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
With the median U.S. household income at $105,800 in 2024, according to Federal Reserve data, Yale's expanded threshold encompasses a significant portion of American families. Nationally, nearly 43 million Americans—approximately one in six adults—carried federal student loan debt in fiscal year 2024, according to Congressional data.
The affordability push by elite institutions targets a demographic increasingly questioning the value proposition of college degrees given mounting costs and debt burdens that can extend decades beyond graduation.
