Tuition-Free College Comes to Central New York

One Central New York school is turning heads—and wallets—by offering a tuition-free education to students.

Starting in the fall of 2026, attending Colgate University will become a lot more affordable.

Thanks to an expansion of the Colgate Commitment—the University’s program aimed at making education more accessible—students from families earning up to $175,000 a year will be able to attend tuition-free.

Affordable Colgate Education

Families making up to $200,000 will have their demonstrated financial aid needs met without taking out federal loans. Essentially, this means more students can attend Colgate without the burden of large debt hanging over them.

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This new threshold more than doubles the original tuition-free limit set when the Colgate Commitment launched in 2020. Beyond eliminating loans for more students, the expansion also adjusts tuition contributions across new income brackets, making a Colgate education more manageable for middle- and upper-middle-income families.

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For example, families earning between $175,000 and $200,000 will pay, on average, just 5% of their income toward tuition. Those making $200,000 to $250,000 will contribute about 7%, and families earning $250,000 to $300,000 will pay around 10%.

“Expanding the Colgate Commitment opens the doors of this world-class University to more exceptional students from all walks of life,” said President Brian W. Casey.

This expansion marks the third time Colgate has broadened this popular aid program, which is a key part of its Third-Century Plan. Previous updates included covering the cost of textbooks and other academic expenses, further reducing financial barriers.