Wagner is a small private college of about 1,700 undergraduates on Staten Island, a ferry ride from Manhattan. It charges one price whether you live in New York or Nebraska, and it is best known for theatre, nursing, and its five-year Physician Assistant program.
Here is the plain-English version of how Wagner money works. Almost every dollar Wagner gives out is decided when your student is admitted, almost all of it can only be used on tuition, and Wagner does not publish the numbers ahead of time. That makes an early application and Wagner’s Net Price Calculator more important here than at schools with a posted scholarship chart.
🏆 Full tuition: 1 international student per year (Trustees')
Average Net Price
$28,033/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
Partial, tuition-only (set at admission)
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
15 opportunities
2 automatic · 4 competitive · 9 hidden gem
Merit Evaluation
Holistic Review / Varies
Merit depends on profile rigor.
Testing Policy
Test-optional (incl. scholarships)
No superscore.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Nov 15 • FAFSA: Feb 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Trustees' Scholarship (1 international student/yr)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Wagner College (Read This First)
There is no scholarship chart. Every applicant is automatically considered for an academic scholarship, but Wagner does not post amounts, GPA cutoffs, or score tiers. You find out the number in the letter.
The answer comes before the money. Early Action (Nov 15) gets an admission decision by Jan 15, but Wagner sends aid offers to all admitted students starting in late February. The deposit is due May 1.
Theatre and PA can’t use Early Action. Theatre Performance, Theatre Design/Tech/Management, and Physician Assistant applicants need a completed application by Nov 15. PA applicants must also send SAT or ACT scores.
Almost everything is tuition-only. Merit, performance awards, and most grants can only go toward tuition. The Housing Grant is the exception, and it only works if your student lives on campus.
Living on campus is a three-year commitment. Students who start as residents fall under a three-year residency requirement, and moving off campus can shrink the aid tied to housing.
The FAFSA date moved. Wagner’s priority date for new students was Feb 1 last cycle, while older Wagner pages still say Jan 15. File by Jan 15 and you are covered either way.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Wagner College is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 23-28; SAT: 1190-1290.
Average net price? About $28,033/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Wagner College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Wagner College has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $1,500 to $3,700 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$74,137
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$56,482
Housing & meals (typical)
$17,655
Total billed cost
$74,137
Average federal net price: $28,033 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
New York Families: Don’t Skip TAP
Wagner is private, so there is no in-state discount and no regional reciprocity deal. New York residents can still bring state money with them: the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) pays $1,000 to $5,665 a year toward tuition for full-time students from families with up to $125,000 in New York net taxable income. You file the TAP application right after the FAFSA. Wagner’s grants page lists TAP but not the Enhanced Tuition Award, and Excelsior only works at SUNY and CUNY. Families from other states should check whether their own state grant can travel to a New York private college.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Wagner College
Do New Yorkers pay less than out-of-state students?
No. Wagner is a private college and charges everyone the same tuition. The table shows the same number in both columns on purpose. The difference for New Yorkers comes from state aid like TAP, not from Wagner’s price.
What does Wagner cost before any aid?
For 2026-27, tuition plus the comprehensive fee is $56,482, and on-campus housing plus a full meal plan is $17,655, so the bill comes to about $74,137. Wagner’s full budget, which adds books, transportation, and personal costs, is $78,503 for a student living on campus.
Is the average net price really around $28,000?
Yes, that is the federal average after grants and scholarships. Here is the part most families miss: at Wagner, that number barely moves with income. Federal data shows families earning under $30,000 paying about $22,750 on average, families earning $48,000 to $75,000 paying about $28,100, and families earning $110,000 or more paying about $28,800. Wagner leans on merit and discounts more than need-based aid, so run the Net Price Calculator before you fall in love.
Can my student commute to save money?
It depends on where home is. Wagner’s budget for a student commuting from a family home is $64,483, about $14,000 less than living on campus. But a student living off campus away from family is budgeted at the same $78,503 as a resident. Also, students who start out living on campus fall under a three-year residency requirement, and switching to commuter status can reduce the Housing Grant. Students whose permanent home is within 25 miles can apply to be released from the requirement.
Does Wagner require the CSS Profile?
No. Wagner uses the FAFSA only (school code 002899). New York residents should also file the TAP application.
Does the Physician Assistant program cost more?
Yes. PA tuition is $59,652 for 2026-27, about $5,300 more than the standard undergraduate rate, before fees, housing, and meals.
Is there a break if we have two kids at Wagner?
Yes. Wagner gives a 10% tuition discount when two or more siblings are enrolled full-time at the same time. Details are in the Hidden Gems section below.
Nov 15: Early Action. Also the hard deadline for Theatre and Physician Assistant applicants. Merit is decided with the admission decision.
Jan 15: Early Action decisions arrive. File the FAFSA by now to be safe.
Feb 1: Wagner’s most recent FAFSA priority date for new students, and the date to apply by for a Music Scholarship audition.
Feb 7, 2027: Theatre Audition Day (video auditions count the same).
Late February: Aid offers start going out to admitted students.
May 1: Deposit deadline.
Parent rule of thumb: apply Early Action unless your student is in theatre or PA, then use the time between January and late February to file the FAFSA and run the Net Price Calculator so you know what “good” looks like.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Wagner College
Every first-year applicant is reviewed for an academic scholarship automatically. There is no extra form and no essay. Wagner calls these partial scholarships, applies them to tuition only, and renews them for four years. Wagner is test-optional for scholarships too, so students who don’t send scores are still considered.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
Tuition Assistance Program
📅 Deadline: FAFSA and TAP application; final cutoff June 30 after the aid year ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000–$5,665/yr
✔ Stackable
NY resident for 12 months; NYS net taxable income $125,000 or less for dependent students; full time at an approved NY college; FAFSA plus a separate TAP application every year
✚
Stacking & Combining
New York's main need grant, $1,000 to $5,665 a year on a sliding income scale, and it travels to private NY colleges. Stacks with Pell and with the college's own aid. Two forms every year: the FAFSA and the TAP application.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Wagner College award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent NY page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Families under $125,000 who finished the separate TAP application after the FAFSA. The TAP form is its own step on the HESC site, and the students who show up with Pell but no TAP are almost always the ones who stopped at the FAFSA confirmation screen.
State AidApp Requiredstate residency
NYS Scholarship for Academic Excellence
📅 Deadline: High school nomination; deadline set by the school ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$500–$1,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Nominated by the high school based on Regents exam scores; no application; must enroll the fall right after graduation; public or private NY college
✚
Stacking & Combining
$500 or $1,500 a year for four years, awarded by Regents scores and nominated by the high school. Small but automatic and renewable at a C average. Stacks with TAP, Excelsior, and college aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Wagner College award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent NY page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top Regents scorers whose high school submitted the nomination. There is nothing for a family to do except confirm with the guidance office that the nomination went in, and that is exactly the step nobody takes.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Academic Merit Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Full-time enrollment in fall and spring is required. Wagner says renewal depends on continued strong academic performance but does not post a renewal GPA, so ask for the renewal terms in writing when the award arrives.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Wagner says its institutional grants, such as the Wagner Plan Grant and Achievement Grant, may be added on top of this award. Pell and NY TAP are added on top as well. Report outside scholarships to Financial Aid, since they can change the package. Because the award is tuition-only, tuition-only aid cannot add up to more than the tuition bill.
💡
Strategic Detail
Every first-year applicant is reviewed for an academic scholarship automatically, using the admission application. There is no extra form and no essay. Wagner calls these partial scholarships, applies them to tuition only, and renews them for four years. Wagner does not publish award amounts, GPA cutoffs, or test-score tiers, so the dollar figure first shows up in the admission or aid letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Every admitted first-year student is considered. The larger awards tend to go to students with high GPAs in a demanding schedule of honors, AP, or IB classes. Test scores are optional, and Wagner says students who skip them are still considered for every scholarship.
App Required⚠ Transfer Only
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship (Transfers)
📅 Deadline: Apply by the transfer priority dates: June 1 for fall (Wagner's main apply page also lists July 15) and December 15 for spring. Send proof of Phi Theta Kappa membership with the application. ✓ Renews
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Unlimited winners/yr🎓 TransferFull-time students only. Students who already hold a bachelor's degree are not eligible. Proof of Phi Theta Kappa membership is required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other Wagner aid, Pell, and NY TAP. Like most Wagner awards, it applies to tuition only.
📄
How to Apply
Apply as a full-time transfer student and submit official proof of Phi Theta Kappa membership to Wagner Admissions with the application.
💡
Strategic Detail
Wagner offers an unlimited number of these: every eligible full-time transfer who is a Phi Theta Kappa member receives $4,000 a year ($2,000 per semester). It applies to tuition only and renews.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any full-time transfer student who is an active Phi Theta Kappa member and does not already have a bachelor's degree. There is no competition; the membership proof is the trigger.
Data last verified Oct 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: Wagner does not publish award amounts, GPA cutoffs, or test-score tiers, so we don’t show a dollar range here. Any range you see elsewhere online is someone’s guess. The real number arrives with the admission or aid letter.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Wagner College)
How does my student get considered for Wagner’s academic scholarship?
Just apply for admission through the Common App or the Wagner Application. Every first-year applicant is reviewed automatically.
How much is the Academic Merit Scholarship?
Wagner doesn’t say. It is a partial, tuition-only award, and the amount is set at admission. The Net Price Calculator is the best preview you’ll get before the letter.
Does my student need SAT or ACT scores for merit?
No. Wagner says every applicant is considered for every scholarship whether or not they send scores. If the scores help your student’s case, send them. The one exception for admission is the Physician Assistant program, which requires scores.
Can the scholarship be used for housing or meals?
No. Academic scholarships apply to tuition only. Housing and meals (about $17,655) have to be covered by the Housing Grant, other aid, or family money.
Does the scholarship renew?
Yes, for four years with full-time study. Wagner says renewal depends on continued strong academic performance but does not post a specific GPA, so ask for the renewal terms in writing.
Is there an automatic scholarship for transfer students?
Yes. Full-time transfers who are Phi Theta Kappa members get $4,000 a year ($2,000 a semester), with no limit on how many students receive it. Send proof of membership with the application. Students who already have a bachelor’s degree are not eligible.
Can we ask Wagner to take another look at the offer?
Yes. Wagner has a formal Request for Additional Consideration process for families whose circumstances changed, and a committee reviews appeals monthly.
Wagner does not run a scholarship competition weekend or a full-ride program for U.S. students. Its one full-tuition award, the Trustees’ Scholarship, goes to a single international student each year.
For American families, the competitive money at Wagner is talent money: theatre performance, theatre design and tech, music, and Division I athletics. Each one needs its own audition, interview, or coach conversation on top of the application.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Wagner?
Aid Type
Stacks?
Wagner Parent Translation
Academic Merit
N/A
One award, set at admission, tuition only.
Performance Awards (Theatre, Design/Tech, Music)
One at a time
Your student can audition for theatre and music, but Wagner won’t stack two performance scholarships. Wagner doesn’t spell out how these combine with academic merit, so ask Admissions to walk you through the full package.
Wagner says these may be added on top of the admission scholarship. All tuition-only.
Housing Grant
Yes
The only Wagner grant that isn’t stuck on tuition, but it requires living on campus.
Pell, NY TAP, Outside Scholarships
Yes
Federal and state grants layer on top. Report outside scholarships to Financial Aid, and aim flexible outside money at housing and meals, since Wagner’s own awards mostly can’t touch those.
The big picture: Wagner fills the tuition side of the bill with merit, grants, and talent awards, and leaves housing and meals (about $17,655) mostly to the family. When you compare offers, look at what’s left on the housing line, not just the scholarship total.
App Required
Theatre Performance Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
Must stay in the Theatre Program to keep the scholarship. Transfer applicants use a Jan 1 deadline and can only start in the fall.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Does not stack with another performance-based scholarship (music or design/tech). Wagner does not say how it combines with the academic scholarship, so ask Admissions to explain the full package.
📄
How to Apply
Declare Theatre Performance as the major on the application, submit a completed application by Nov 15, wait for the audition invitation after the academic review, then audition on campus on Feb 7, 2027 or by video (one-minute intro, one-minute monologue, two contrasting musical theatre songs, one-minute dance).
🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Every Theatre Performance applicant auditions as part of admission, and the audition also drives performance scholarship money. There is no pre-screen beyond the academic review, no audition fee, and video auditions get equal consideration. Wagner does not publish amounts. Tuition only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Applicants who pass the academic review, get invited to audition, and stand out to faculty in acting, singing, and dance.
App Required
Theatre Design/Technology/Management Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
For students in the Theatre Design, Technology, and Management concentration.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Does not stack with another performance-based scholarship (music or theatre performance). Ask Admissions how it combines with the academic scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Declare Theatre Design/Technology/Management as the major, submit a completed application by Nov 15, then interview after the academic review. Send a 3 to 4 minute video overview of the portfolio and bring the portfolio to the interview.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
A talent scholarship for future designers, technicians, and stage managers, decided through a portfolio interview instead of an audition. Wagner does not publish amounts. Tuition only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Applicants who pass the academic review and show real design, tech, or stage-management work in their portfolio interview.
App Required
Music Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
Open to students in any major. Recipients must perform in a music ensemble every semester to keep it. Awarded in only one specialty (voice or instrument).
✚
Stacking & Combining
Does not stack with another performance-based scholarship (theatre performance or design/tech). Ask Admissions how it combines with the academic scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Tell Admissions about the interest in music, apply by Feb 1, and audition when invited: two contrasting pieces, plus sight-reading and scales for instrumentalists. An accompanist is provided for singers.
🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Wagner's Music Scholarship is open to every student, not just music majors. Recipients also get private voice or instrument lessons. Students accepted into the Vocal Performance or Music Education major receive the departmental music scholarship. Wagner does not publish amounts. Tuition only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Singers and instrumentalists, music majors or not, who audition well and want to keep performing in college.
Full TuitionAutomaticinternational
Trustees' Scholarship (International)
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
full tuition
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Full-tuition award for one international first-year student per year with outstanding merit and significant financial need.
👥 ~1 winners/yrInternational applicants only (students who need a visa to study in the U.S.). Recipients must stay full-time and in good academic standing.
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by Wagner's Board of Trustees, this covers full tuition for one international student each year. Wagner's other international merit and need-based scholarships can range up to half of tuition per year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One international first-year student a year whose academic record is at the top of the international pool and whose family shows significant financial need.
Data last verified Oct 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does Wagner have a full-ride or full-tuition scholarship for U.S. students?
No. The Trustees’ Scholarship covers full tuition, but only for one international student per year. Wagner’s other international merit and need-based awards can reach up to half of tuition.
How do theatre scholarships work at Wagner?
Every Theatre Performance applicant auditions as part of admission, and that audition also decides talent money. Submit a completed application by Nov 15 (no Early Action for theatre), wait for the invitation after the academic review, then audition on Feb 7, 2027 or by video. There is no pre-screen and no audition fee. Your student has to stay in the theatre program to keep the scholarship.
What about design, tech, and stage management students?
The Theatre Design/Technology/Management Scholarship works the same way, except it uses a portfolio interview instead of an audition. Same Nov 15 deadline, same no-Early-Action rule.
Does my student have to major in music for the Music Scholarship?
No. It is open to every student, in any major. Recipients get private lessons and must perform in a music ensemble every semester to keep it. Wagner’s music page says to apply by Feb 1 to audition, but its posted audition date is out of date, so confirm with Admissions.
Can my student get a theatre and a music scholarship?
They can audition for both, but Wagner won’t stack two performance-based scholarships. They will get one.
Does Wagner give athletic scholarships?
Yes. Wagner plays NCAA Division I and offers partial athletic scholarships. Start with the coach. Wagner is test-optional, but it recommends that recruited athletes send SAT or ACT scores because the NCAA requires them for eligibility.
What if my student is transferring into theatre?
Transfer theatre applicants have a Jan 1 deadline and can only start in the fall.
🧠 Parent Strategy: Wagner’s “Second Wave” of Money
Most families stop paying attention to Wagner aid once the first offer arrives. But Wagner keeps a list of
more than 60 named scholarships
funded by alumni and donors, and most of them go to students from sophomore through senior year. Here is how to position your student:
Keep the FAFSA current every year. Several named awards and the need-based grant depend on it.
Know which lists your student is on. About ten named awards are for nursing majors, at least six favor Staten Island residents, and a couple more favor New York City residents.
Ask Financial Aid in the spring of freshman year how students are considered for named scholarships. Wagner doesn’t post an application.
Got two kids at Wagner? Ask for the 10% sibling tuition discount.
Parent translation: the first-year offer is not the last word at Wagner. Good grades in the right major can add money later.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the Wagner awards that don’t show up in a typical scholarship search. Some land automatically in the aid offer, some need an extra step, and some only open up after your student is on campus.
Automatic
Wagner Plan Grant
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Awarded to incoming students in the aid offer. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Renewable for up to four years with good academic standing and full-time enrollment toward a first bachelor's degree. Paid for fall and spring only, and prorated if the final semester is part-time.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Wagner says its institutional grants may be in addition to the academic scholarship awarded at admission. Tuition only.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of Wagner's institutional grants for incoming students. Wagner does not publish the amount or the criteria, so it simply appears as a line in the aid offer. Tuition only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming students, as decided by Wagner during aid packaging. Families do not apply for it.
Automatic
Achievement Grant
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Awarded to incoming students in the aid offer. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Renewable for up to four years with good academic standing and full-time enrollment toward a first bachelor's degree. Paid for fall and spring only, and prorated if the final semester is part-time.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Wagner says its institutional grants may be in addition to the academic scholarship awarded at admission. Tuition only.
💡
Strategic Detail
Wagner awards this to incoming students who show strong academic potential. The amount is not published. Tuition only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming students Wagner judges to have strong academic potential. There is no application.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Need-Based Institutional Grant
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradRequires demonstrated financial need, good academic standing, and full-time enrollment toward a first bachelor's degree. Eligibility is recalculated every year from the new FAFSA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Packaged with merit, Pell, NY TAP, and other aid. Because it is recalculated annually, a raise in family income can shrink it.
💡
Strategic Detail
Wagner's need-based grant is set each year from the FAFSA. Wagner uses the FAFSA only (no CSS Profile). Amounts are not published and can rise or fall from year to year as family finances change. Tuition only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students whose FAFSA shows financial need. Since it is reset every year, families should refile the FAFSA on time each year.
Automatic
Housing Grant
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Typically awarded to incoming students who will live on campus. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Student must live in Wagner's residence halls, stay in good academic standing, and enroll full-time toward a first bachelor's degree. Wagner warns that resident grants may be adjusted if the student changes housing status.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combines with merit and other grants. Moving off campus can reduce or remove it, so talk to Financial Aid before changing housing.
💡
Strategic Detail
The one Wagner grant that is not limited to tuition. It is tied to living on campus, and Wagner has a three-year residency requirement for students who enter as residents. Wagner does not publish the amount.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming students who commit to living on campus.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Sibling Discount (10% of Tuition)
📅 Deadline: No deadline posted. Tell Financial Aid when a second sibling enrolls. ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradTwo or more siblings must be enrolled full-time at the same time, in their first undergraduate program, and paying tuition at Wagner.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Wagner lists it with the grants that may be added on top of the academic scholarship awarded at admission. Applies to tuition only.
💡
Strategic Detail
A 10% tuition discount for each family with two or more siblings enrolled at Wagner at the same time. It is listed on Wagner's institutional grants page but rarely makes it into scholarship searches.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families with two kids at Wagner at the same time, including twins and siblings a year or two apart.
Automatic⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Wagner Endowed Named Scholarships (Sophomore to Senior)
📅 Deadline: No public deadline. Awarded through the Financial Aid office, mostly for sophomore through senior year. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 UpperclassmenMost are for full-time students from sophomore through senior year, for fall and spring. Each has its own criteria (major, hometown, grades, and sometimes financial need).
✚
Stacking & Combining
Applied to tuition and added on top of the rest of the aid package.
💡
Strategic Detail
Wagner lists more than 60 donor-funded scholarships. About ten are for nursing majors. At least six favor Staten Island residents, and a couple more favor New York City residents. Others target theatre studies, arts administration, business, economics, education, the sciences and pre-med, music, English, math, student-athletes, and study abroad. One goes to an Honors student aiming for a finance career. A few go to first-year students, such as one for a freshman business major and one for a first-year biology student. Amounts are not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Current Wagner students with strong grades in the major or hometown a donor named. Nursing students and Staten Island residents have the most options.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Bonner Leaders Program
📅 Deadline: No deadline posted. Apply online and request an interview. ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradApplicants must be eligible for Federal Work-Study, which comes from the FAFSA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Earnings come through Federal Work-Study, so it sits alongside merit and grants in the aid package.
📄
How to Apply
Confirm Federal Work-Study eligibility with Financial Aid, submit the Bonner application (four short essays), and request an interview.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
This is a paid job, not a tuition scholarship. Bonner Leaders work about 8 to 10 hours a week (up to 150 hours a semester) in paid community-based internships, attend a weekly two-hour seminar, and keep good academic standing. It is part of the national Bonner network.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Work-Study-eligible students who want service and leadership to be a central part of college.
App Requiredgeographicheritage
DaVinci Society Award
📅 Deadline: Not posted. Contact the DaVinci Society through Wagner's Alumni and Development office. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ One incoming Staten Island student of Italian-American heritage each year.
👥 ~1 winners/yrIncoming Wagner student from Staten Island with Italian-American heritage.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Donor-funded, so it is added to the rest of the aid package.
📄
How to Apply
Contact Wagner's Alumni and Development office, which serves as the DaVinci Society liaison, to ask how the scholar is selected.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Wagner College DaVinci Society funds one scholarship a year through its annual awards dinner. Wagner does not publish the amount or say whether it renews.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One incoming Staten Island student of Italian-American heritage per year.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Monterosso Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Spring application. Wagner's page still shows a 2022 date, so confirm the current deadline with the Civic Engagement office. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~1 winners/yr🎓 UpperclassmenSophomores apply for junior-year funding; juniors apply for senior-year funding. A junior-year winner may reapply for senior year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Added to the rest of the aid package.
📄
How to Apply
Submit a 1,500 to 2,000 word essay on public service involvement and career goals, a resume, and two letters of recommendation through Wagner's online application.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Given in memory of the Honorable Vincent J. Monterosso, Class of 1963, to a student headed for a public service career. The last amount Wagner published was $7,000 for 2022-23.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: A Wagner sophomore or junior with real involvement in public service or public policy and a career plan to match.
Data last verified Oct 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Do we apply for the Wagner Plan Grant or the Achievement Grant?
No. Wagner gives both to incoming students as part of the aid offer, and neither has an application. Both are tuition-only and renew for up to four years with good grades and full-time enrollment. Wagner doesn’t publish the amounts.
What is the Housing Grant, and how do we keep it?
It is Wagner’s only grant that isn’t limited to tuition. Your student has to live in the residence halls, stay full-time, and stay in good standing. Wagner warns that resident grants can be adjusted if a student changes housing, so call Financial Aid before moving off campus.
How does the sibling discount work?
When two or more siblings are enrolled full-time at Wagner at the same time, each gets 10% off tuition. It only counts toward a first bachelor’s degree, and both students must be paying tuition.
Who gets Wagner’s named endowed scholarships?
Mostly current students from sophomore year on. Each one has its own focus: nursing, business, education, the sciences, theatre studies, arts administration, music, student-athletes, Staten Island or New York City residents, and more. A couple go to first-year students, such as one for a freshman business major. Wagner doesn’t list amounts or an application, so ask Financial Aid how students are considered.
Is the Bonner Leaders Program a scholarship?
Not exactly. It is a paid service job funded through Federal Work-Study. Bonner Leaders work about 8 to 10 hours a week in community internships, attend a weekly two-hour seminar, and must qualify for Work-Study through the FAFSA.
Who can get the DaVinci Society Award?
One incoming student each year from Staten Island with Italian-American heritage. Wagner doesn’t publish the amount or a deadline, so contact Wagner’s Alumni and Development office, which works with the DaVinci Society.
What is the Monterosso Scholarship?
A public service award for Wagner upperclassmen. Sophomores apply for junior-year money and juniors apply for senior-year money, with a 1,500 to 2,000 word essay, a resume, and two recommendation letters. The last amount Wagner published was $7,000.
Wagner has an Honors Program, not a separate Honors College, and it changed recently. Starting with students admitted for fall 2026, Honors begins in the first semester of sophomore year. It is not something your student signs up for on the application.
When it starts: Fall of sophomore year
What students do: A series of designated honors courses, then a Senior Honors Project with a faculty mentor
The finish line: A presentation in late April of senior year, recognition at graduation, and an Honors note on the official transcript
Affiliation: National Collegiate Honors Council
Honors Program Scholarships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
Wagner does not attach scholarship money to the Honors Program. Merit is decided at admission, before Honors even begins.
Money Note: Joining Honors won’t raise your student’s merit award. The one link to money is a named endowed scholarship, the Oppenheimer/Spiro Scholarship, which goes to an Honors student who wants a career in finance.
Where High Achievers Find Money at Wagner (Beyond Honors)
Academic Merit: Automatic at admission. Strong grades in hard classes matter most.
Talent Awards: Theatre performance, design/tech, and music scholarships through auditions and interviews.
Named Scholarships: More than 60 donor-funded awards, mostly for sophomores through seniors, many tied to a major.
Honors Program FAQs (Wagner College)
Can my student apply to Honors when applying to Wagner?
Not anymore. For students admitted for fall 2026 and later, the program starts in the fall of sophomore year.
How are students chosen for Honors?
Wagner keeps its detailed program requirements behind a password-protected page, so ask Admissions or the Honors Program how students are selected and what GPA they need.
Does the Honors Program come with a scholarship?
No. There is no Honors scholarship. Merit is set at admission, and the Oppenheimer/Spiro named scholarship is the one award reserved for an Honors student.
What is the Senior Honors Project?
A capstone your student builds with a faculty mentor. It can be a traditional research paper or a project of the student’s own design, and it is presented in late April of senior year.
Does Honors show up after graduation?
Yes. Finishing the program is noted on the official Wagner transcript, and students are recognized at graduation.
Wagner is a small school with a few programs that punch well above its size. Its curriculum, which Wagner calls the Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts, pairs regular classes with internships and hands-on learning. With New York City right there, that part is real.
Nationally Known Program: Wagner College Theatre: The Princeton Review ranked Wagner’s theatre program No. 2 in the country in its 2025 edition, and it has been a top-10 program for nearly 30 years. Students study Theatre Performance, Theatre Design/Technology/Management, or Theatre Studies, and the stage is close enough to Broadway that the professional world feels within reach.
Nursing (Evelyn L. Spiro School of Nursing): Wagner’s biggest program by graduates, and U.S. News rated its reputation in the national top tier in its 2023 rankings. Nursing students also have the deepest bench of named scholarships on campus.
Physician Assistant: A five-year BS/MS program that starts in freshman year. It is selective, requires SAT or ACT scores, and has a Nov 15 deadline with a faculty interview.
Business (Nicolais School of Business): Concentrations in business administration, finance, marketing, management, business analytics, economics, and sports administration.
Arts Administration: A theatre-and-business combination for students who want to run the show instead of starring in it.
Education: Wagner’s teacher preparation program holds full AAQEP accreditation through June 30, 2027.
🔗 Official Wagner College Links
Use Wagner’s official pages below to check admissions details, scholarship and aid rules, costs, and deadlines. Always rely on these pages for final deadlines and award terms.
Wagner is a small private college with a big-city backyard and a nationally ranked theatre program. On the money side, it plays a very specific game. Nearly everything is decided at admission, nearly everything is tuition-only, and Wagner keeps its numbers to itself until the letter arrives. That means the families who do best here apply early, file the FAFSA by January, run the Net Price Calculator before they visit, and look hard at the housing line, because that is the part of the bill Wagner’s awards mostly don’t touch.
If your student is a performer, a future nurse, or a PA hopeful, Wagner deserves a real look. Just go in knowing that the first offer isn’t the whole story: talent awards, the sibling discount, and dozens of named scholarships for sophomores through seniors can keep chipping away at the cost after freshman year.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
Leo built CollegeReadyParent after walking his own daughter through the college money maze. He’s a parent, not a counselor, and every guide on the site is built from official college sources and kept free: no paywall, no lead generation. More about Leo →
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