Sweet Briar College tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at Sweet Briar College is $43,898 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,758 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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What your family pays
$17,758 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $43,898. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusAll students
Tuition & fees$26,160
Housing & meals$14,720
Books & supplies$1,400
Personal & travel$2,850
Living-at-home adjustment−$1,232
Total cost of attendance$43,898

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$21,000
Loan default rate2.5%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out40%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants31%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$26,140Sticker price minus average net price

State aid: Virginia residents studying full-time at eligible private nonprofit Virginia colleges may receive the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG): up to $5,250 a year for undergraduates in 2025-26, depending on state funding. Not included in the prices above. State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), VTAG

College Scorecard

Sweet Briar College net price compared with other Virginia colleges

Sweet Briar College has the 11th-lowest average net price of 42 Virginia colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
7Norfolk State University$15,28239%$44,666
8Virginia State University$15,84039%$45,543
9Randolph College$15,92146%$53,409
10Virginia Military Institute$17,11376%$77,369
11Sweet Briar College$17,75852%$51,943
12Bridgewater College$17,80053%$53,453
13George Mason University$17,91568%$76,343
14Emory & Henry University$19,06156%$47,385
15Longwood University$19,06661%$52,347

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Virginia colleges →

Why Sweet Briar College costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Sweet Briar College76%$17,75852%$51,943This school
Virginia Wesleyan University73%$19,67642%$50,074
Emory & Henry University84%$19,06156%$47,385
Patrick Henry College77%—74%—
Hollins University68%$20,89665%$40,075

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

Sweet Briar College would cost you $1,918 less per year than Virginia Wesleyan University, on average.

  • Lower sticker price at Sweet Briar College, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$11,340).
  • Virginia Wesleyan University gives aided families $5,439 more in grants, on average.
Per year, Virginia residentSweet Briar CollegeVWUDifference
Tuition & fees$26,160$37,500−$11,340
Books & supplies$1,400$1,500−$100
Housing & meals$14,720$11,513+$3,207
Personal & travel$2,850$3,100−$250
Living-at-home adjustment−$1,232−$2,358+$1,126
Sticker price$43,898$51,255−$7,357
Average grants−$26,140−$31,579+$5,439
You pay$17,758$19,676−$1,918

“+” means Sweet Briar College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

Sweet Briar College cost questions

How much is tuition at Sweet Briar College?

Tuition and fees are $26,160 a year.

What is the total cost of attending Sweet Briar College?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $43,898 a year.

What do families actually pay at Sweet Briar College?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,758 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $11,734; $48–75k pay $15,247; $110k+ pay $24,710.

How much debt do Sweet Briar College graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $21,000, and 2.5% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is Sweet Briar College the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Sweet Briar College overview