Use this free Student Aid Index (SAI) calculator to estimate the number the 2026-27 FAFSA uses for Pell Grants, federal student loans and many state and college awards. Enter your family’s details from the 2024 tax return and current savings, and the calculator applies the federal SAI formula.
What the Student Aid Index is
The Student Aid Index replaced the Expected Family Contribution starting with the 2024-25 FAFSA. Colleges and the federal government use it to decide how much need-based aid a student can receive. A lower SAI generally means more aid. The SAI can be as low as -1,500.
What goes into the 2026-27 SAI
- Income from the 2024 federal tax return, for the student and, for a dependent student, the parents
- Federal income tax paid and certain untaxed income
- Family size
- Assets such as cash, savings and investments, and business or farm net worth that must be reported
The FAFSA no longer counts the number of family members in college when it calculates the SAI.
What the 2026-27 SAI looks like for three families
| Parents’ AGI (2024 return) | Parents’ cash and investments | Estimated SAI |
|---|---|---|
| $55,000 | $3,000 | $250 |
| $120,000 | $70,000 | $19,897 |
| $200,000 | $190,000 | $54,338 |
What moves the SAI most
- Parents’ income, after allowances for taxes and basic living costs for the family’s size.
- Cash and investments. Retirement accounts and the family home are not counted on the FAFSA.
- Family size, which raises the income protection allowance.
- The student’s own income and savings, which count more heavily than the parents’.
A higher SAI usually means more borrowing. To see what that borrowing costs later, see the new Parent PLUS limits and the RAP payment calculator.
This is an estimate
Your official SAI comes from the FAFSA at StudentAid.gov, and filing it is free. Colleges that use the CSS Profile or their own formula can count things the FAFSA does not, such as home equity, so their aid offers can differ.
Planning to borrow? Our student loan repayment calculator compares the federal plans your loans would qualify for, including RAP.
Put your plan where you can see it
Add your loans and your plan in a free borrower account. See your payoff date, watch your progress, and know exactly what an extra $50 a month changes.
