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
- In person: 621 St. George Street
- By email: finaid@bucknell.edu
- On the phone: 570-577-1331
Cost Breakdown for 2024-25
Tuition:
$67,446
Housing:
$10,454
Approximate Meal Plan Cost:
$6,470
Activity Fee:
$366
Total comprehensive cost*:
$84,736
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 parent 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 2024-25 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: $300 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): $565 per semester
- Single-course rate (subject to tuition refund policy): $7,404 (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.
- Plans are per semester only. Plans do not roll to the following semester.
- Enrollment opens May 1 for the fall semester and Oct. 1 for the spring 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 $40.
- 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.
Coming from Vietnam, I wasn't eligible for the same federal resources as U.S. students — which made scholarships and aid all the more important. I was advised that Bucknell is one of the most generous schools financially in the U.S. for international students.
Lam Ngo '22, Civil Engineering and Economics
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)