E-Rate Calculator

Estimate Category 2 budget, E-Rate discount amount, and district out-of-pocket cost.

Inputs

Student Count — the number of full-time students enrolled. This is the primary driver of Category 2 budget.

E-Rate Discount % — your district's discount percentage (20%–90% depending on NSLP eligibility and urban/rural status).

How the calculation works

Total 5-Year Budget = Student Count × $153 (FY2026 rate per student)

E-Rate Discount Amount = Total Budget × (Discount % ÷ 100)

School Out-of-Pocket = Total Budget − E-Rate Discount Amount

Discount rate reference table

The calculator includes the full USAC discount rate table, organized by:

• ·% of students eligible for NSLP (National School Lunch Program) — the income proxy USAC uses
• ·Urban vs. Rural — rural entities get higher discounts at lower income levels
• ·Category 1 vs. Category 2 — same discount rates apply to both

FY2026 per-student rate

The Category 2 per-student rate for FY2026–2030 is $153/student. This replaces the previous cycle's rate of $167/student.

Limitations

This calculator provides estimates only. Actual budgets may differ based on:

• ·Multi-building vs. single-building entities
• ·Library square footage calculations
• ·Budget algorithm variations
• ·Prior year carryover

Always verify budget figures in EPC (E-Rate Productivity Center) before filing.