Brown University

Brown University's published cost of attendance is $87,648, but need-based aid reshapes that figure substantially across income levels. Low-income families see a net price of approximately −$420, while middle-income families pay around $5,858, and higher-income families pay approximately $44,937.

Azimuth ranks Brown University #652 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Brown University's aid structure is need-based, with the university committing to meet demonstrated financial need for admitted students. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) between published cost and actual net price is especially pronounced at institutions with large endowments and robust aid programs — Brown being a clear example.

The gap between sticker price and what low-income families actually pay reflects the depth of institutional grant funding available to qualifying students. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $11,428, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $48,245; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $94,678, median federal debt of $11,428 projects to a monthly payment of about $129 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Brown University earn median earnings of $94,678 four years after enrollment, placing Brown University in the 93.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $8,296 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Brown University in the 25.6 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Brown University #79 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The degree mix at Brown University is anchored in Social Sciences, which accounts for 20% of graduates, followed by Engineering at 5% and Arts at 4%. Computer Science combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a central driver of the university's overall return profile.

Azimuth ranks Computer Science #13 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 250 graduates earning median earnings of $214,479. The Economics program graduates 215 students with median earnings of $124,508, and Azimuth ranks the program #19 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment.

Applied Mathematics and Biology, General round out the highest-earning fields, with Azimuth ranking them #2 and #231 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, respectively, and graduates earning median earnings of $157,822 and $60,508.

Brown University's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, with Social Sciences accounting for 20% of graduates, followed by Engineering at 5% and Arts at 4%. Computer Science is the program combining the largest cohort scale with strong earnings — 250 graduates earning median earnings of $214,479 four years after enrollment — making it a central driver of the institution's overall financial profile.

The broader program portfolio spans 47 programs serving roughly 2,177 students annually, with 18 meeting Azimuth's ranking threshold. The strongest national ranks cluster in quantitative and applied fields.

Azimuth ranks Computer Science #13 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 250 graduates earning $214,479. Azimuth ranks Applied Mathematics #2 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $157,822, and Azimuth ranks Economics #19 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $124,508.

Among the largest programs, Economics program graduates 215 students with median earnings of $124,508, and the The Applied Mathematics program graduates 178 students with median earnings of $157,822 — both reflecting the social-sciences concentration that defines Brown University's academic identity. For [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), see the methodology.

Several of Brown University's dominant programs are grad-school-dependent pathways — particularly Biology, General and International Relations and National Security Studies — where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to medical, law, or doctoral programs. Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, by contrast, are high-mobility programs where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings more closely reflect labor-market outcomes.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework provides context for how these fields align with national wage trends and employer demand.