Salisbury University students on campus

Afford College

The mission of the University System of Maryland is to improve the quality of life for the people of Maryland by providing a comprehensive range of high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities; engaging in research and scholarship that expand the boundaries of current knowledge; and providing knowledge-based programs and services that are responsive to the needs of the citizens of the state and the nation.

These ideals drive our approach to financial aid at SU as we strive to provide a high quality higher education at an affordable price.

  • SU provides a quality education. We are consistently ranked in the Top 100 on Kiplinger's Best Public Colleges list.
  • If a student has the skills, SU can help them pursue their dreams of completing a college education. We provided more than $11 million dollars in scholarship gift aid to students last year. Check out SU’s Freshmen Net Price Calculator or Transfer Net Price Calculator for prospective scholarship amounts scholarship amounts.
  • Moderate increases to tuition. SU has raised tuition by 2% or less annually which is lower than the national average according to the College Board's 2017 Trends in College Pricing.
  • Tuition payment plan options. SU offers payment plans as an alternative to paying your bill in full at the start of each term. The plans split your Fall or Spring semester balances into convenient monthly payments with no interest charged.
  • SU continues to expand it institutional aid program. The University is committed to using its limited resources to create access, opportunity and student success by expanding its institutional scholarship spending each year.

The Salisbury University Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships understands that financing your education is one of the most important life decisions you and your family face. At first, it might seem overwhelming, but we can help you secure resources that will make your college education affordable.

Investing in a college education often requires students and their families to look beyond their own resources for assistance. Salisbury students can receive funds for college in the forms of scholarships, grants, loans, work study and assistantships. These awards are based on your financial need and/or academic record.

Finally, we encourage all prospective students and their families to evaluate SU's net price not the official cost of attendance or "sticker" price. The net price reflects the actual out-of-pocket expense after removing grants, scholarships, and other educational benefits from the "sticker" price. Click here to utilize SU's Freshmen Net Price Calculator or Transfer Net Price Calculator to take the next step.

The Financial Aid Office is committed to providing timely delivery of information and is sensitive to the financial concerns of you and your family. We sincerely look forward to helping you achieve your educational goals.

What Are Some of The Best Ways to Fund a Higher Education at SU?

  • Complete the FAFSA every year! Many families mistakenly think they don't qualify for aid and prevent themselves from receiving financial aid by failing to apply for it. In addition, there are a few sources of aid such as unsubsidized Stafford and PLUS loans that are available regardless of need. The FAFSA form is free and no matter your income we encourage all students and families to complete the FAFSA
  • Estimate how much income your family can set aside every month and then multiply that amount by 48 months (i.e. a 4-year degree). Take a look at Maryland 529 or other state tax-advantaged savings plans designed to encourage saving for college.
  • Explore academic merit based scholarships at SU and apply early. Visit SU's scholarship program page for more information.
  • Take a look at private scholarships on websites like:
  • Explore the federal Pell grant and Direct loan programs available to U.S. citizens.
  • Finally, if necessary you can research private student loans but we encourage students and families to do their homework on this type of loan given many of the benefits within the federal loan program are not available in some private loan programs.