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Gordon College scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$51,360per year · 2026-2027 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

Gordon College awards automatic merit on admission. Gordon College does not publish a GPA or test chart, so you cannot self-calculate the dollars.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
3 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

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The award collection

Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Where does your student land?

  1. Trustees' Scholar Award$22,000 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Trustees' Scholar Award

    $22,000 per year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Weighted GPA 4.0 & Above
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Trustees' Scholar Award

    Who qualifies

    Automatic on application; consideration includes plans to live on campus

    How to keep it

    Renewal GPA listed as 3.25 on the Academic Scholarship Renewal Policy page (labeled 'Trustee's'). Merit GPA first reviewed after two academic years (four semesters); the lowest single semester GPA is dropped from the merit calculation.

    Worth knowing

    Top automatic academic tier. 'You don't need to do anything other than apply to Gordon to be eligible.' Four-year value stated as $88,000.

  2. President's Scholar Award$20,000 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    President's Scholar Award

    $20,000 per year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Weighted GPA 3.75–3.99
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for President's Scholar Award

    Who qualifies

    Automatic on application

    How to keep it

    Renewal GPA listed as 3.25 on the Academic Scholarship Renewal Policy page. First reviewed after four semesters; lowest semester GPA dropped from the merit calculation.

    Worth knowing

    Automatic academic tier. Four-year value stated as $80,000.

  3. Provost's Scholar Award$18,000 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Provost's Scholar Award

    $18,000 per year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Weighted GPA 3.25–3.749
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Provost's Scholar Award

    Who qualifies

    Automatic on application

    How to keep it

    Renewal GPA listed as 3.15 on the Academic Scholarship Renewal Policy page. First reviewed after four semesters; lowest semester GPA dropped.

    Worth knowing

    Automatic academic tier. Four-year value stated as $72,000.

  4. Dean's Scholar Award$16,000 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Dean's Scholar Award

    $16,000 per year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Weighted GPA 2.95–3.24
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Dean's Scholar Award

    Who qualifies

    Automatic on application

    How to keep it

    Renewal GPA listed as 3.00 on the Academic Scholarship Renewal Policy page. First reviewed after four semesters; lowest semester GPA dropped.

    Worth knowing

    Automatic academic tier. Four-year value stated as $64,000.

  5. Thrive Scholar Award$13,000 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Thrive Scholar Award

    $13,000 per year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Weighted GPA 2.94 & below
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Thrive Scholar Award

    Who qualifies

    Automatic on application

    How to keep it

    Lowest automatic tier. The Academic Scholarship Renewal Policy page does NOT list a renewal GPA for 'Thrive' (only Trustee's/Founder's/President's 3.25, Provost's 3.15, Dean's 3.00 are shown) — renewal threshold for Thrive is unconfirmed; ask the aid office (see Section C).

    Worth knowing

    Floor automatic award — every applicant qualifies for at least this. Four-year value stated as $52,000.

  6. Global Scholars$28,000 per yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Global Scholars

    $28,000 per year

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Global Scholars

    Who qualifies

    Selective four-year scholars cohort 'equipping thoughtful Christian leaders for lifelong global learning and engagement'

    How to keep it

    Described as a four-year scholars cohort ($112,000 over four years). Specific renewal GPA not stated for cohort awards on the renewal page.

    Worth knowing

    Highest-value named cohort award. Competitive/cohort-based, not automatic on stats. MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with the automatic academic merit award — the live scholarships grid labels this award 'Replaces all other Gordon aid', so a recipient gets the $28,000 cohort award INSTEAD OF (not stacked on top of) the $13,000-$22,000 academic tier.

  7. Music Leadership Award / Music Education Honors Award$26,000 per yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Music Leadership Award / Music Education Honors Award

    $26,000 per year

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Music Leadership Award / Music Education Honors Award

    Who qualifies

    Apply to Gordon College and the Department of Music no later than February 16, 2026; perform audition by February 21

    How to keep it

    Stated as $104,000 over four years. Audition-based; renewal terms not specified on the page.

    Worth knowing

    Top music talent award — requires a separate music application and audition with firm deadlines. MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with the automatic academic merit award — the live scholarships grid labels this award 'Replaces all other Gordon aid', so a recipient gets the $26,000 award INSTEAD OF (not on top of) the $13,000-$22,000 academic tier. (Distinct from the smaller Music Major/minor/ensemble awards, which ARE 'Added to your academic scholarship.')

  8. A. J. Gordon Scholars$25,000 per yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    A. J. Gordon Scholars

    $25,000 per year

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for A. J. Gordon Scholars

    Who qualifies

    Selective four-year scholars cohort 'cultivating the curiosity and character of emerging scholars and leaders'

    How to keep it

    Four-year scholars cohort ($100,000 over four years). Specific renewal GPA not stated for cohort awards.

    Worth knowing

    Named cohort award; competitive selection, not automatic. MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with the automatic academic merit award — the live scholarships grid labels this award 'Replaces all other Gordon aid', so a recipient gets the $25,000 cohort award INSTEAD OF (not on top of) the $13,000-$22,000 academic tier.

  9. Clarendon City Scholars$25,000 per yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Clarendon City Scholars

    $25,000 per year

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Clarendon City Scholars

    Who qualifies

    Selective four-year scholars cohort 'preparing students to pursue careers as leaders in cities and urban areas around the country'

    How to keep it

    Four-year scholars cohort ($100,000 over four years). Specific renewal GPA not stated for cohort awards.

    Worth knowing

    Named cohort award; competitive selection, not automatic. MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with the automatic academic merit award — the live scholarships grid labels this award 'Replaces all other Gordon aid', so a recipient gets the $25,000 cohort award INSTEAD OF (not on top of) the $13,000-$22,000 academic tier.

  10. Dokes Ministry Scholars$25,000 per yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Dokes Ministry Scholars

    $25,000 per year

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Dokes Ministry Scholars

    Who qualifies

    Students must plan to major in Christian Ministries or Biblical Studies with a desire to attend seminary; training students for ministry through a five-year dual-degree opportunity

    How to keep it

    Stated as $100,000 over four years. Five-year dual-degree ministry track; renewal terms not specified beyond the cohort framing.

    Worth knowing

    Named ministry cohort award; restricted to specific majors / seminary intent. MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with the automatic academic merit award — the live scholarships grid labels this award 'Replaces all other Gordon aid', so a recipient gets the $25,000 cohort award INSTEAD OF (not on top of) the $13,000-$22,000 academic tier.

Lights up against Gordon College's published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office. Award terms and residency rules change; some awards differ for in-state and out-of-state students. Always confirm at the school’s source page.

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The fine print

Outside awardsNo published displacement order

Gordon College's policy doesn't specify whether outside scholarships hit loans, grants, or only the COA ceiling. Get a written aid-office answer before chasing private awards.

What makes Gordon College different

Gordon College awards an automatic, weighted-GPA-based academic scholarship to every applicant — $13,000 to $22,000 per year with no separate application — while a selected few instead receive a named cohort or Music Leadership award worth $25,000 to $28,000 per year that, per the live grid, 'Replaces all other Gordon aid' (it is awarded INSTEAD OF, not on top of, the academic scholarship).

Merit tiers105 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take Gordon College's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

What families often miss

  1. The Trustees'/President's/Provost's/Dean's/Thrive awards are automatic: 'You don't need to do anything other than apply to Gordon to be eligible.' They are set by your weighted high-school GPA at the time of application.

  2. Gordon's 2026-27 sticker is tuition $34,980 + housing/meal plan/fee $16,380 = $51,360. Because every applicant gets an automatic $13,000-$22,000/yr academic award (plus possible named/talent awards), the actual net price is materially lower.

  3. Those $25,000-$28,000/yr awards are selective four-year scholars-cohort programs (Dokes is restricted to Christian Ministries/Biblical Studies majors). They are not granted on GPA alone like the academic tiers.

  4. The live scholarships grid labels each cohort award (A.J. Gordon, Clarendon City, Dokes, Global) and the $26,000 Music Leadership / Music Education Honors Award 'Replaces all other Gordon aid'. A recipient gets that award INSTEAD OF the $13,000-$22,000 academic tier, not in addition to it — so a top student does not get $22,000 academic PLUS a $28,000 cohort award. Only the Honors Institute Fellowship and the music/art/theatre minor and major talent awards are 'Added to your academic scholarship.'

  5. The $26,000/yr Music Leadership / Music Education Honors Award requires applying to the Department of Music by February 16, 2026 and auditioning by February 21. The smaller Music Major Scholarship has an audition by April 15.

  6. Merit GPA is first reviewed after four semesters, then every year. Required renewal GPA runs 3.00 (Dean's) to 3.25 (Trustees'/President's); below it your scholarship 'may be at risk of being reduced or lost completely.' Merit scholarships also never increase.

  7. It is the student's responsibility to notify the SFS Office of private scholarships or grants, which may result in a revision of the aid award.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Students who want a guaranteed, no-extra-application academic scholarship set purely by their weighted high-school GPA at a small nondenominational Christian liberal-arts college on Boston's North Shore. A competitively selected few instead receive a higher-value named cohort or Music Leadership award ($25,000-$28,000/yr) that, per the live grid, 'Replaces all other Gordon aid' — so it substitutes for, rather than stacks on top of, the academic tier. Only the Honors Institute Fellowship and the music/art/theatre talent minor and major awards are truly additive ('Added to your academic scholarship').

Published yearly cost: Approximately $51,360 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Gordon College, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at Gordon College, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$21,829
$30,001–$48,000$18,900
$48,001–$75,000$21,004
$75,001–$110,000$24,380
$110,001+$27,138
All income levels (average)$24,883

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$30,700
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$24,883

That works out to roughly a 41% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $42,446 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
69%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
84%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$26,250 (~$278/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$52,119
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
20%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
52%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

INTERNAL GORDON AWARDS: the scholarships grid publishes an explicit per-award stacking label. The named cohort awards (A.J. Gordon, Clarendon City, Dokes, Global) and the Music Leadership / Music Education Honors Award each say 'Replaces all other Gordon aid' — they are mutually exclusive with the automatic academic merit tier and with each other (a recipient gets the cohort/music award INSTEAD OF, not on top of, the $13,000-$22,000 academic award). By contrast, the Gordon Honors Institute Fellowship ($2,000) and the music/art/theatre minor and major talent awards are each labeled 'Added to your academic scholarship' — those DO stack on top of the academic tier. OUTSIDE AWARDS: Gordon does not publish an explicit institutional displacement formula for private/outside scholarships. It states that receiving private (outside) scholarships or grants is a change that may trigger a revision of the financial aid award, and it is the student's responsibility to notify the Student Financial Services (SFS) Office. No published rule was found stating whether outside awards reduce institutional merit aid specifically versus need-based aid.

INTERNAL: 'Replaces all other Gordon aid' (cohort + Music Leadership) vs. 'Added to your academic scholarship' (Honors Institute Fellowship, music/art/theatre minor and major talent awards) are verbatim labels on the live https://www.gordon.edu/scholarships grid. OUTSIDE: The 'Understand Your Award' page lists 'Receiving private scholarships or grants' among the factors that may result in an adjustment to the financial aid award, with a note that it is the student's responsibility to notify the SFS Office of these changes. The mechanics of HOW an outside award is applied (loan/work-study first vs. reducing institutional grant) are not published.

Source

Other Gordon College scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

Amount$2,000 per year | $8,000 over four yearsEligibilityParticipation in the Gordon Honors Institute — a one-year honors learning group with extended opportunities across all four years.

Truly additive — the live grid labels it 'Added to your academic scholarship', so it stacks ON TOP of the academic tier (unlike the named cohort/Music Leadership awards, which replace it).

Source

Amount$2,000–$3,000 per yearEligibilityDeclared music majors; perform your audition by April 15.

Talent/audition award (separate from the $26,000 Music Leadership/Education Honors award).

Source

Amount$1,000–$2,000 per yearEligibilityMusic minors and musical theatre minors.

Talent award for minors.

Source

Amount$1,000 per yearEligibilityParticipation in a Gordon music ensemble.

Open to non-majors who play in an ensemble.

Source

Amount$2,000–$3,000 per yearEligibilityDeclared art majors.

Talent/portfolio award.

Source

Amount$2,000–$3,000 per yearEligibilityDeclared theatre majors.

Talent/audition award.

Source

AmountUp to $1,000 per year | Up to $4,000 over four yearsEligibilityStudent's home church contributes a minimum of $250 toward college costs; Gordon matches up to $1,000 of the church's gift.

Matching-gift program, not pure merit — depends on a church contribution.

Source

Gordon College merit aid FAQ

  • Do I have to apply separately for Gordon's academic scholarship?

    No. The Trustees', President's, Provost's, Dean's, and Thrive Scholar Awards are automatic — 'You don't need to do anything other than apply to Gordon.' Your weighted high-school GPA sets which tier ($13,000-$22,000/yr) you receive. The named cohort awards (A.J. Gordon, Clarendon City, Dokes, Global) and the $26,000 Music Leadership Award DO require separate selection or auditions — and, importantly, the live grid says each of those 'Replaces all other Gordon aid,' so winning one gives you that award INSTEAD OF the automatic academic tier, not on top of it.

  • What GPA do I need to keep my Gordon merit scholarship?

    Merit GPA is first reviewed after two academic years (four semesters), then annually, and the lowest single semester is dropped from the calculation. Published renewal GPAs are 3.25 (Trustee's/President's), 3.15 (Provost's), and 3.00 (Dean's). The renewal GPA for the Thrive tier is not published — confirm it with Student Financial Services.

  • Can the scholarship amount go up later?

    No. 'Merit scholarships do not increase; they are based on the student's original agreement when accepted to Gordon.'

  • Can I combine a Gordon academic award with a named cohort or Music Leadership award?

    No. The live scholarships grid labels each named cohort award (A.J. Gordon, Clarendon City, Dokes, Global) and the $26,000 Music Leadership / Music Education Honors Award 'Replaces all other Gordon aid.' So if you're selected for one of those, it substitutes for your automatic academic scholarship rather than stacking on top of it. What DOES stack with the academic tier are the smaller awards the grid marks 'Added to your academic scholarship': the $2,000 Honors Institute Fellowship and the music/art/theatre minor and major talent awards.

  • What happens if I win an outside scholarship?

    You must notify the SFS Office; receiving a private scholarship or grant may result in a revision of your financial aid award. Gordon does not publish exactly how an outside award is applied (e.g., whether it reduces institutional merit aid vs. need-based aid) — ask the aid office before counting on it stacking dollar-for-dollar.

See sources and other schools

How Gordon College compares

  • 133 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.

    Gordon College is in a recognizable cluster (133 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 133 of 749 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.

    Gordon College is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    Gordon College is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against Gordon College’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

  • Stonehill merit aid. Massachusetts private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • Boston College merit aid. Massachusetts private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • Bentley merit aid. Massachusetts private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • Berklee merit aid. Massachusetts private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.

Keep exploring Gordon College merit aid

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