The purpose of the Cost (CST) component is to collect information on student charges for Cost of Attendance estimates and to calculate an Average Net Price (ANP) for first-time, full-time undergraduate students to meet requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. This component also collects information on tuition and fees for other groups of students. The CST component in 2 parts in the fall and the winter.

Data collected include:

• Fall collection: Student charges
  • Application fees by level (Undergraduate, Graduate, Doctor’s – professional practice)
  • Tuition and required fees by level (Undergraduate, Graduate, Doctor’s – professional practice)
  • Cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduates
• Winter collection: Financial aid data required for calculating the net price of attendance
  • Number of students living on-campus, off-campus (with family), and off-campus (not with family)
  • Number of full-time, first-time students awarded different types of aid, by income level
  • Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution, by income level

• Net Price Calculator Information Center
• Average Institutional Net Price FAQs
• College Affordability and Transparency Center lists
• Reporting Study Abroad Students
• The History and Origins of Survey Items (2022–23 Update)
• Timing of IPEDS Data Collection
• Student Cohorts and Subgroups in IPEDS

• All Frequently Asked Questions

• Provides an overview of the first part of the survey component (fall reporting)
• Discusses the importance of an institution's net price and how it is calculated
• Explains the difference between tuition and required fees and cost of attendance for reporting data to IPEDS
• Clarifies Price, Cost or Change concepts for IPEDS reporting purposes