Average Pell Grant Award Up 13% Over 10 Years (and Other Statistics)
With student loan forgiveness on the horizon, Pell Grants have been making headlines.
Federal student loan borrowers who received a Pell Grant in college are eligible for up to $20,000 in loan forgiveness, while those who didn’t are eligible for up to $10,000.
To learn more about how Pell Grants have changed over time, LendingTree researchers looked at how much recipients received, on average, in the past 10 years. Researchers also analyzed data on the percentage of students who received aid through the federal program.
Keep reading for Pell Grant statistics and more.
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Key findings
- The average Pell Grant award rose 13.0% over 10 years. The average award was $4,491 in 2019-20 — the latest available — versus $3,975 in 2009-10. 33.6% of students received a Pell Grant in 2019-20, down from 34.9% in 2009-10.
- Idaho students received the highest average Pell Grant awards. The average award in the state was $5,349 in 2019-20, making Idaho one of only two states that crossed the $5,000 threshold. Next were North Carolina ($5,016) and Georgia ($4,979). For context, the maximum award allowed in 2019-20 was $6,195.
- New Hampshire students received the lowest average Pell Grant awards. The average award in the state was $3,232 in 2019-20 — $2,117 less than the average in Idaho. New Hampshire, one of only two states under the $4,000 threshold, was below Minnesota ($3,944) and Wisconsin ($4,055).
- Despite receiving the lowest average Pell Grant awards, New Hampshire saw the biggest 10-year jump in the rate of students receiving these grants. 39.7% of New Hampshire students received a Pell Grant in 2019-20, up 13.4 percentage points from 26.3% in 2009-10. The next biggest jumps were in Connecticut (7.9 percentage points) and Louisiana and Alaska (both 6.5 percentage points).
- Iowa and Idaho saw double-digit 10-year percentage point decreases in the rate of students receiving Pell Grants. More than 40% of students in both states received Pell Grants in 2009-10, but both dropped below 30% in 2019-20. Mississippi saw the next biggest decrease (9.6 percentage points).
What are Pell Grants?
Pell Grants are need-based aid provided to students that typically don’t have to be repaid. The amount recipients receive can change annually.
“Pell Grants are great because, unlike with most other grants and scholarships, you can get them just by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which many students do anyway,” says Michael Kitchen, LendingTree student loan expert.
It’s also the largest federal grant program available to undergraduate students.
Average Pell Grant award rose 13% in past decade
The average Pell Grant award rose 13.0% over the 10 years from 2009-10 to 2019-20. The average award was $4,491 in 2019-20 — the latest available — compared with $3,975 in 2009-10.
Average Pell Grant award amounts
| Year | Average Pell Grant award |
|---|---|
| 2019-20 | $4,491 |
| 2018-19 | $4,416 |
| 2017-18 | $4,271 |
| 2016-17 | $4,046 |
| 2015-16 | $4,026 |
| 2014-15 | $3,973 |
| 2013-14 | $3,946 |
| 2012-13 | $3,884 |
| 2011-12 | $3,861 |
| 2010-11 | $4,057 |
| 2009-10 | $3,975 |
Source: LendingTree analysis of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data.
The average award increased in every year but one during the 10 years examined. While the increase is a win in some aspects for students, it’s not nearly enough to cover rising college costs, according to Kitchen.
Meanwhile, the percentage of students who received Pell Grant awards decreased slightly over the 10 years examined.
More than a third (33.6%) of students received a Pell Grant in 2019-20, down from 34.9% in 2009-10. The height of Pell Grant recipients during these 10 years was in 2011-12, when 40.6% of students received a Pell Grant. That’s the same year in which the average award dropped. Since 2012-13, the percentage of students who received Pell Grants has fallen each year.
Percentage of students who received Pell Grants
| Year | Percentage of students |
|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 33.6% |
| 2018-19 | 34.0% |
| 2017-18 | 34.8% |
| 2016-17 | 34.9% |
| 2015-16 | 36.2% |
| 2014-15 | 38.5% |
| 2013-14 | 39.3% |
| 2012-13 | 39.8% |
| 2011-12 | 40.6% |
| 2010-11 | 39.4% |
| 2009-10 | 34.9% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of NCES data.
Kitchen says this decrease suggests the program hasn’t been a big political priority. In 2022, however, President Joe Biden’s administration attempted to boost Pell Grant benefits.
In his 2023 fiscal year budget, Biden proposed raising the maximum Pell Grant amount by $2,175 per recipient for the 2023-24 school year. This would bring the total available amount to students to $8,670 based on the 2021-22 maximum award of $6,495.
In October 2022, the U.S. Department of Education announced that Pell Grants would be available to incarcerated students in prison education programs.
History behind Pell Grants
You can’t discuss Pell Grant statistics without examining the historical data. During 1976-77, the average Pell Grant award stood at $759, with the maximum amount at $1,400. At that time, tuition cost an average of $1,218 yearly at four-year public schools.
During the 2019-20 school year, Pell Grant awards averaged $4,491, while four-year public colleges had an average tuition of $9,349 annually. (That amount gets higher among four-year private schools at a whopping $32,764.)
“Because Pell Grants are reserved for students with financial need, they’re an important tool in efforts to undo the unfair disparity between rich and poor when it comes to higher education,” Kitchen says. “On the downside, Pell Grants have maximum awards well below the average cost for a year at most colleges, so it’s never going to give you a full ride for tuition.”
Idaho students got largest average Pell Grants, while New Hampshire students got lowest
In 2019-20, Idaho students received the largest average Pell Grant awards at $5,349.
Along with North Carolina, Idaho was just one of two states to surpass the $5,000 mark. (As a reminder, the maximum award granted in 2019-20 was $6,195.)
Other states with the highest average Pell Grant awards were:
- North Carolina ($5,016)
- Georgia ($4,979)
- Mississippi ($4,975)
- Alabama ($4,788)
- New York ($4,765)
On the flip side, New Hampshire students got the lowest average Pell Grant awards. Students there receive an average of $3,232 in 2019-20 — $2,117 less than the average in Idaho.
New Hampshire was one of only two states where the average award was under the $4,000 threshold. The states with the next lowest amounts were:
- Minnesota ($3,944)
- Wisconsin ($4,055)
- Indiana ($4,065)
- Delaware ($4,090)
- Maryland ($4,101)
While there isn’t a clear-cut reason for the discrepancy between Idaho and New Hampshire, U.S. Census Bureau data sheds some light, especially since Pell Grants are need-based.
The median household income in Idaho was $58,915 in 2020, below the U.S. average of $64,994. The state’s poverty rate of 11.0% also hovers near the U.S. average of 11.6%. New Hampshire, on the other hand, has a higher median household income of $77,923 and a lower poverty rate of 7.2%.
Full rankings
Average Pell Grant award in 2019-20
| Rank | State | Average amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $5,349 |
| 2 | North Carolina | $5,016 |
| 3 | Georgia | $4,979 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $4,975 |
| 5 | Alabama | $4,788 |
| 6 | New York | $4,765 |
| 7 | Florida | $4,722 |
| 8 | Utah | $4,718 |
| 9 | Maine | $4,699 |
| 10 | South Carolina | $4,694 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $4,678 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $4,652 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $4,637 |
| 14 | Texas | $4,618 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $4,593 |
| 16 | Michigan | $4,517 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $4,513 |
| 18 | Colorado | $4,512 |
| 19 | Ohio | $4,468 |
| 20 | Illinois | $4,440 |
| 21 | Montana | $4,439 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $4,410 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $4,409 |
| 24 | Washington | $4,383 |
| 25 | Iowa | $4,375 |
| 26 | Kansas | $4,373 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $4,364 |
| 28 | California | $4,363 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $4,359 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $4,337 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $4,310 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | $4,302 |
| 33 | Missouri | $4,296 |
| 34 | Arizona | $4,291 |
| 35 | Vermont | $4,241 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $4,214 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $4,212 |
| 38 | Virginia | $4,197 |
| 39 | Nevada | $4,184 |
| 40 | Oregon | $4,176 |
| 41 | Alaska | $4,173 |
| 42 | Connecticut | $4,172 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $4,158 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $4,154 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $4,126 |
| 46 | Maryland | $4,101 |
| 47 | Delaware | $4,090 |
| 48 | Indiana | $4,065 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $4,055 |
| 50 | Minnesota | $3,944 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $3,232 |
Source: LendingTree analysis of NCES data.
How Pell Grants have changed at state level in past decade
Over the decade from 2009-10 to 2019-20, Washington, D.C., borrowers experienced the largest percentage increase (51.1%) in average Pell Grant amounts. Students there went from receiving an average of $3,040 in 2009-10 to $4,593 in 2019-20.
Idaho (33.2%), North Carolina (25.2%) and Vermont (24.5%) were ranked behind D.C., though these states didn’t see nearly as big of a hike.
On the flip side, New Hampshire ranked lowest on the list with a 15.2% dip in average Pell Grant amounts during this period, from $3,811 in 2009-10 to $3,232 in 2019-20. Kentucky, the only other state to see a decline, dropped 5.4%, while Indiana saw a mere 1.5% increase.
Full rankings
10-year change in average Pell Grant award
| Rank | State | 2009-2010 | 2019-2020 | Percentage change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $3,040 | $4,593 | 51.1% |
| 2 | Idaho | $4,015 | $5,349 | 33.2% |
| 3 | North Carolina | $4,007 | $5,016 | 25.2% |
| 4 | Vermont | $3,406 | $4,241 | 24.5% |
| 5 | Maine | $3,831 | $4,699 | 22.7% |
| 6 | South Carolina | $3,847 | $4,694 | 22.0% |
| 7 | Utah | $3,878 | $4,718 | 21.7% |
| 8 | Illinois | $3,696 | $4,440 | 20.1% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $3,719 | $4,409 | 18.6% |
| 10 | New York | $4,023 | $4,765 | 18.4% |
| 11 | Kansas | $3,709 | $4,373 | 17.9% |
| 12 | Hawaii | $3,704 | $4,364 | 17.8% |
| 13 | Colorado | $3,855 | $4,512 | 17.0% |
| 14 | Georgia | $4,284 | $4,979 | 16.2% |
| 15 | New Jersey | $3,897 | $4,513 | 15.8% |
| 15 | Iowa | $3,779 | $4,375 | 15.8% |
| 17 | Louisiana | $4,069 | $4,678 | 15.0% |
| 18 | Texas | $4,038 | $4,618 | 14.4% |
| 19 | Alaska | $3,663 | $4,173 | 13.9% |
| 20 | Nebraska | $3,629 | $4,126 | 13.7% |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $3,788 | $4,302 | 13.6% |
| 22 | Florida | $4,162 | $4,722 | 13.5% |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $3,914 | $4,410 | 12.7% |
| 23 | Mississippi | $4,416 | $4,975 | 12.7% |
| 25 | Ohio | $3,969 | $4,468 | 12.6% |
| 26 | Arkansas | $4,138 | $4,652 | 12.4% |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $3,616 | $4,055 | 12.1% |
| 28 | Maryland | $3,665 | $4,101 | 11.9% |
| 29 | Delaware | $3,668 | $4,090 | 11.5% |
| 30 | Alabama | $4,298 | $4,788 | 11.4% |
| 31 | Minnesota | $3,548 | $3,944 | 11.2% |
| 32 | California | $3,928 | $4,363 | 11.1% |
| 33 | Washington | $3,960 | $4,383 | 10.7% |
| 34 | New Mexico | $4,192 | $4,637 | 10.6% |
| 35 | South Dakota | $3,811 | $4,212 | 10.5% |
| 35 | Tennessee | $3,946 | $4,359 | 10.5% |
| 37 | West Virginia | $3,927 | $4,337 | 10.4% |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $3,927 | $4,310 | 9.8% |
| 39 | Connecticut | $3,811 | $4,172 | 9.5% |
| 40 | Nevada | $3,837 | $4,184 | 9.0% |
| 41 | Wyoming | $3,895 | $4,214 | 8.2% |
| 41 | Missouri | $3,971 | $4,296 | 8.2% |
| 43 | North Dakota | $3,847 | $4,154 | 8.0% |
| 44 | Virginia | $3,888 | $4,197 | 7.9% |
| 45 | Michigan | $4,191 | $4,517 | 7.8% |
| 46 | Oregon | $3,945 | $4,176 | 5.9% |
| 47 | Arizona | $4,137 | $4,291 | 3.7% |
| 48 | Montana | $4,305 | $4,439 | 3.1% |
| 49 | Indiana | $4,005 | $4,065 | 1.5% |
| 50 | Kentucky | $4,397 | $4,158 | -5.4% |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $3,811 | $3,232 | -15.2% |
Source: LendingTree analysis of NCES data.
New Hampshire saw largest increase in Pell Grant recipients
When LendingTree researchers examined the percentage of students who received Pell Grants instead of how much they got, the states flipped.
New Hampshire students may have received the lowest Pell Grant amounts in 2019-20, but the state saw the largest jump in the rate of students who received these grants between 2009-10 and 2019-20.
The data shows 39.7% of New Hampshire students — 55,506, to be exact — received a Pell Grant in 2019-20. This was a 13.4 percentage point increase from 26.3% in 2009-10. The next biggest jumps were in:
- Connecticut: 30.0% (2009-10) to 37.9% (2019-20)
- Louisiana: 35.9% (2009-10) to 42.4% (2019-20)
- Alaska: 16.7% (2009-10) to 23.2% (2019-20)
On the reverse side, Iowa and Idaho experienced double-digit 10-year drops in the rate of students who received Pell Grants.
In 2009-10, more than 40% of students in both states received Pell Grants, but that rate lowered to below 30% by 2019-20. Broken down by the number of students, 49,237 Iowans and 34,032 Idaho students received Pell Grants in 2019-20.
The following states experienced the next largest drops in the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants:
- Mississippi: 54.7% (2009-10) to 45.1% (2019-20)
- Ohio: 39.0% (2009-10) to 29.6% (2019-20)
- Maine: 37.2% (2009-10) to 30.0% (2019-20)
Full rankings
10-year change in rate of students who received Pell Grants
| Rank | State | 2009-2010 | 2019-2020 | Percentage point change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 26.3% | 39.7% | 13.4 |
| 2 | Connecticut | 30.0% | 37.9% | 7.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | 35.9% | 42.4% | 6.5 |
| 3 | Alaska | 16.7% | 23.2% | 6.5 |
| 5 | Nevada | 27.1% | 32.8% | 5.7 |
| 6 | New Jersey | 33.6% | 38.5% | 4.9 |
| 7 | California | 28.3% | 32.9% | 4.6 |
| 8 | West Virginia | 29.2% | 32.3% | 3.1 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | 26.3% | 28.3% | 2.0 |
| 10 | Hawaii | 25.0% | 26.6% | 1.6 |
| 11 | New York | 36.4% | 37.8% | 1.4 |
| 12 | Virginia | 29.6% | 30.9% | 1.3 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 29.3% | 30.3% | 1.0 |
| 14 | Delaware | 27.9% | 28.8% | 0.9 |
| 15 | Maryland | 29.8% | 30.2% | 0.4 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 28.0% | 28.3% | 0.3 |
| 17 | Florida | 41.1% | 41.0% | -0.1 |
| 18 | Washington | 25.7% | 25.5% | -0.2 |
| 19 | Illinois | 32.9% | 32.6% | -0.3 |
| 20 | Utah | 30.5% | 30.0% | -0.5 |
| 21 | Wyoming | 21.9% | 21.0% | -0.9 |
| 22 | New Mexico | 36.7% | 35.7% | -1.0 |
| 23 | Kansas | 28.9% | 27.4% | -1.5 |
| 24 | North Carolina | 38.2% | 36.4% | -1.8 |
| 25 | Nebraska | 28.9% | 27.0% | -1.9 |
| 26 | Texas | 36.5% | 34.4% | -2.1 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | 33.5% | 31.1% | -2.4 |
| 28 | Alabama | 38.6% | 35.8% | -2.8 |
| 29 | Colorado | 32.8% | 29.7% | -3.1 |
| 30 | Minnesota | 31.8% | 28.6% | -3.2 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | 29.5% | 26.2% | -3.3 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | 36.1% | 32.4% | -3.7 |
| 33 | Kentucky | 39.6% | 35.6% | -4.0 |
| 34 | Tennessee | 42.3% | 38.2% | -4.1 |
| 35 | Indiana | 35.6% | 31.4% | -4.2 |
| 36 | North Dakota | 26.8% | 22.3% | -4.5 |
| 37 | Georgia | 45.6% | 40.7% | -4.9 |
| 37 | Arkansas | 43.0% | 38.1% | -4.9 |
| 39 | Oregon | 36.0% | 30.8% | -5.2 |
| 40 | Missouri | 37.3% | 31.5% | -5.8 |
| 40 | Arizona | 41.9% | 36.1% | -5.8 |
| 42 | Vermont | 28.6% | 22.6% | -6.0 |
| 42 | South Dakota | 33.0% | 27.0% | -6.0 |
| 44 | Montana | 35.2% | 29.0% | -6.2 |
| 45 | South Carolina | 42.8% | 36.3% | -6.5 |
| 46 | Michigan | 38.6% | 31.9% | -6.7 |
| 47 | Maine | 37.2% | 30.0% | -7.2 |
| 48 | Ohio | 39.0% | 29.6% | -9.4 |
| 49 | Mississippi | 54.7% | 45.1% | -9.6 |
| 50 | Idaho | 40.5% | 29.3% | -11.2 |
| 51 | Iowa | 42.5% | 25.7% | -16.8 |
Source: LendingTree analysis of NCES data.
Tips for navigating Pell Grants
If you’re struggling to afford the cost of tuition, you may be eligible to receive a Pell Grant to help counter at least some of the steep costs that come with a postsecondary education.
“Your Pell Grant award is based on your level of need — you just need to be an undergraduate attending school at least part time,” Kitchen says. “Beyond those requirements, you should have no problem getting a Pell Grant, so long as you fill out the FAFSA on time.”
Here’s what you should know before being considered for a Pell Grant:
- Look over your FAFSA: Since the federal government bases whether you get a Pell Grant on the info in your FAFSA, make sure to turn in your correct information by the deadline. The FAFSA opens on Oct. 1 and closes on June 30.
- Pay attention to the criteria: While your grades won’t impact whether you receive a Pell Grant, other factors may. To be eligible, you’ll need to be an undergraduate and be enrolled at least part time in school. The higher your financial need, the larger your grant may be.
- Avoid repaying your Pell Grant: In most cases, you won’t need to repay your Pell Grant. However, there are some instances where you may have to repay the grant — including if you pull out of school early, your enrollment status changes or you use other grants or scholarships to cover your costs.
If you’re a student who didn’t qualify for a Pell Grant and instead had to take out student loans, you may be able to pay off your loans faster by looking into refinancing or student loan consolidation.
Methodology
LendingTree researchers analyzed National Center for Education Statistics data from the 2019-20 academic year — the latest available — to find the states where recipients received the highest and lowest average Pell Grant awards at Title IV-participating institutions, as well as the rate of students who received these grants.
We also analyzed data from the 2009-10 academic year to make 10-year comparisons when relevant.