Pell Grant Statistics [2023]: How Many Receive per Year (2024)

Report Highlights. Nationwide, 34% of undergraduate students receive a Pell Grant.

• The average Pell Grant award is $4,491.
• 51% of Pell Grant funds go to students whose families earn less than $20,000 annually – the largest majority.
• The maximum amount an individual can receive from the Pell Grant is $6,895.
• 88% of Pell Grant funds go to public universities.

Related reports include Financial Aid Statistics | Public Education Spending Statistics | How Do People Pay for College? | College Savings Statistics | How to Pay Off Student Loan Debt Fast

Pell Grant Award by Financial Need

Pell Grant awards are determined by Expected Family Contributions (EFC). EFC’s are determined by annual family income, household size, and number of dependents. EFC changes if the students themselves are a dependent or independent. Typically, the more the family earns, the higher the EFC – resulting in a lowered Pell Grant award.

• 51% of Pell Grant funds go to students whose families earn less than $20,000 annually – the largest majority.
• 39% of Pell Grant recipients came from families whose annual income falls between $20,001 and $50,000.
• Only 6% of Pell Grant recipients come from families that earn over $60,000 or more annually.

Average Pell Grant Award by School Type

The majority of Pell Grant awards go to public colleges. 4-year public college students obtain the most Pell Grant funding compared to students from other college types. The averages below are from the 2017 to 2018 school year.

• The average Pell Grant award for a student in a public 4-year university is $5,320.
• The average Pell Grant award for a student in a public 2-year university is $4,414.
• For a private 4-year university student, the average Pell Grant is $5,602.
• For a private 2-year university student, the average Pell Grant is $5,727.
• 71% of Pell Grant funds go to public schools.
• 16% of Pell Grant funds go to private for-profit schools.
• 13% of Pell Grant funds go to private non-profit schools.

Pell Grant Award Maximum

There is a maximum amount of Pell Grant funds an individual can receive in their lifetime. An individual can receive up to 100% of their Pell Grant award for up to 6 years. In some cases, an individual may receive funding less than or more than 100% of that year’s maximum allotment. The disparity in funds received is balanced out the next year.

• For example, a student may receive $5,500 one year, but the maximum Pell Grant award for that year is $5,000.
• The next year, $500 would be taken out of that student’s Pell Grant award.
• The maximum amount an individual can receive from the Pell Grant this year is $6,895.

Pell Grant Award Average by State

State residency has no bearing on the amount a student may receive from the Pell Grant. What determines the amount awarded is the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

• California is the state with the most Pell Grant recipients at 938,931.
• Wyoming is the state with the least amount of Pell Grant recipients at 7,545.
• Mississippi has the highest average Pell Grant award at $4,499.
• New Hampshire has the lowest average Pell Grant award at $3,631.

Pell Grant Average by Demographics

The most recent data on Pell Grant distribution by race and gender is from 2015-2016. Asians/Pacific Islanders receive the largest Pell Grants on average. However, Black students are more likely to receive the Pell Grant in general. On average, men and women receive the same amount of aid from the Pell Grant. However, women are more likely to receive the Pell Grant in the first place.

• The average Pell Grant award for White students is $4,661.
• The average Pell Grant award for Black students is $4,790.
• For Hispanic students, the average award is $5,049.
• For Asian students, the average award is $5,437.
• American Indians who received the Pell Grant averaged $4,531.
• Individuals in the other category or two or more races averaged $4,920.
• The average Pell Grant award for a male student is $4,790.
• The average Pell Grant award for a female student is $4,790.
• 34% of all male college students received the Pell Grant.
• 43% of all female college students received the Pell Grant

Sources

1. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): Financial Aid – What is the percent of undergraduate students awarded Pell grants?
2. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Pell Grants – A key tool for expanding college access and economic opportunity – need strengthening, not cuts
3. National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA): Issue Brief- Doubling the Maximum Pell Grant
4. Trends in Pell Grant Receipt and the Characteristics of Pell Grant Recipients: Selected Years, 2003–04 to 2015–16
5. Federal Pell Grant Program 2017-2018 End of Year Report
6. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): Financial Aid – Pell Grants
7. Revised 2022-2023 Federal Pell Grant Payment and Disbursem*nt Schedules