New York vs Washington: Scholarship Climate 2026
Which climate fits best? New York offers higher average awards but fewer opportunities, while Washington has a greater number of scholarships with lower average amounts, making it suitable for applicants seeking quantity over size.
State A
New York
State B
Washington
Quick comparison
| Metric | New York | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Active scholarships in catalog | 73 | 191 |
| Avg. award (where known) | $3,982 | $3,652 |
| Max indexed award | $50,000 | $25,000 |
Financial Aid Overview for 2026
In 2026, New York presents a scholarship climate characterized by an average award size of approximately $4,273, with a maximum award reaching $50,000. The state has a total of 55 grants available, with notable institutions like the United States Tennis Association leading the way. Conversely, Washington offers a more extensive array of scholarships, totaling 124 grants, with an average award size of about $3,739 and a maximum of $25,000. Top universities in Washington include the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation, which provides a significant number of awards.
Final verdict explanation
ScholarshipTop publishes this supplemental “Final verdict explanation” whenever the primary matchup body for 2026 skews thinner than editorial depth standards. The comparison table summarizes about 73 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with New York alongside about 191 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Washington using the same ingestion window, so deltas highlight catalog-wide signals rather than courthouse-grade guarantees. Residents, transfers, and commuter students weighing New York campuses against Washington footprints should corroborate every figure with authoritative financial aid disclosures, state higher-ed portals, endowed scholarship riders, reciprocal tuition agreements, Honors supplements, or graduation timelines before staking savings plans.
After reviewing the matchup metrics above, continue with Matches-style browsing, internationally inclusive corridors when visas matter, streamlined application corridors when time is scarce, followed by essay hubs and evergreen resource articles covering drafting workflows, budgeting, appeals, parental contribution conversations, and scholarship renewals tied to academic performance. ScholarshipTop provides these cues as scaffolding; students still validate final award letters directly with campuses and adjust strategy whenever policies evolve during 2026 and afterward.
Top Scholarship Providers in New York
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 8 grants
- 3 grants
- 3 grants
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
Top Scholarship Providers in Washington
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 27 grants
- 25 grants
- 17 grants
- 6 grants
- 2 grants
Match workspace
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Scholarship climate by state
New York
New York's scholarship climate is competitive with fewer opportunities but higher average awards, appealing to applicants who excel academically or have specific talents.
Washington
Washington's climate is more accessible with a larger number of scholarships, making it suitable for a broader range of applicants seeking financial support.
Public reference data
Cost of living & wages
State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.
Visual comparison
Median household income
Census ACSFair market rent (2BR)
HUD monthly estimateLiving wage
Single adult, MIT modelBLS median wage
State occupational estimateNew York
Median household income
$89,717
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$1,332
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
24.55/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$59,670
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 26.65 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
middle indicator band
ADI band
middle indicator band
SVI counties
62
ADI counties
62
- CDC SVI county data is available for 62 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 62 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Washington
Median household income
$97,733
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$1,418
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
23.29/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$62,990
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 27.40 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
middle indicator band
ADI band
lower indicator band
SVI counties
39
ADI counties
39
- CDC SVI county data is available for 39 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 39 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.
Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.
Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.
Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.
FAQ
What is the average scholarship amount in New York?
How many scholarships are available in Washington?
Which state has the highest maximum scholarship amount?
What are the top universities for scholarships in Washington?
Sources and official pages
Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- New York and Washington scholarship search reference - high-authority reference
More guides around this State vs State comparison
Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing New York and Washington.
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