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Concerned about the rising price of eggs? You’re not alone. Prices have soared around the country as a widespread avian flu outbreak affects the availability of eggs. As of January 2025, the average cost of a dozen eggs in the U.S. is $4.95, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This is higher than in previous years, including the $4.82 consumers paid on average in January of 2023, when concerns about egg shortages sent the cost of eggs skyrocketing.

Why does knowing the cost of a dozen eggs today matter? If you’re trying to manage your household budget, then keeping food costs as low as possible might be a priority. Where you live can play a part in determining how much you’ll pay for a dozen eggs.

What Is the Average Cost of a Dozen Eggs Today?

On average, Americans are paying $4.95 for a dozen Grade A large eggs, based on the BLS data. That price reflects the most recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) data available as of January 2025. The CPI Consumer Price Index tracks prices for a basket of consumer goods and services over time.

In tracking egg price data, the CPI looks at average numbers by city, rather than state. Prices are based on the cost of a dozen eggs only and don’t take into account pricing for smaller or larger quantities of eggs sold, or pricing for different sizes of eggs. The CPI’s egg price data offers a snapshot of how egg prices have moved up or down over time. The average cost of a dozen eggs increased sharply in the beginning of 2023, declined for a while, and then began going back up in July 2024. Whether you live alone or are supporting a family, these types of fluctuations can impact your grocery budget.

If you’re trying to manage a higher-than-normal grocery bill, tracking your spending can help.

Where the Cost of Eggs Is Highest

As evidenced by the price data, some states are more expensive than others when it comes to what you’ll pay for a dozen eggs on average. In descending order, here are the 10 states that had the highest cost overall for a dozen eggs:

•   Hawaii

•   California

•   Florida

•   Alabama

•   Nevada

•   California

•   Arizona

•   Georgia

•   Wyoming

•   Maine

•   Colorado

Where the Cost of Eggs Is Lowest

Where is the average cost of a dozen eggs the cheapest? Shoppers paid the least for a dozen eggs in these states:

•   Missouri

•   Nebraska

•   Indiana

•   Ohio

•   Kansas

•   Iowa

•   Kentucky

•   Pennsylvania

•   Alaska

•   West Virginia

As you can see, most of these states are located in the central, southern, and eastern U.S., though Alaska is the outlier. Assuming food costs are lower overall in these states, the average grocery budget for a family of 5 is likely to be less compared to the states where eggs are more expensive.

Why Did the Cost of Eggs Increase

The current spike in egg prices is largely fueled by scarcity. An outbreak of avian flu sent egg production into decline as more than 20 million laying hens were lost to the disease or depopulation efforts just in the last quarter of 2024. With fewer eggs in supply but demand not easing, egg prices began to climb. Severe winter weather events across the country didn’t help matters.

But inflation can also be pointed to as a contributing factor to rising egg prices. In simple terms, inflation is a rise in prices for things consumers buy, like eggs and other household items. Knowing how to find the inflation rate and what’s considered to be a normal range matters for making the most of your money.

You don’t need a money tracker to know that when inflation is higher, everything costs more and your money doesn’t go as far. A difference of a few cents in the price of a dozen eggs might not seem like much. But when everything else is going up in price too, and inflation doesn’t appear to be easing any time soon, it can take a serious toll on your wallet.

When Will the Cost of Eggs Go Down?

While it’s nearly impossible to know exactly when egg prices will decline, the USDA is predicting that it will happen by April 2025. Prices are projected to fall to $2.50 per dozen in the second quarter of the year and to $2.10 by the third quarter.

Monitoring prices for different goods and services can help you stay on top of your budget. Making and sticking to a spending and savings plan is one of the most basic steps for building wealth and increasing your net worth. Being able to measure your liquid net worth can give you an idea of how well you’re doing financially when it comes to accumulating assets and paying down debt.

Tips on How to Shop for Cheap Eggs

Shopping for eggs on the cheap can save you money and make it easier to live below your means. Living below your means benefits you in a few ways. For one thing, you may be less reliant on credit cards to cover expenses if you always have extra cash in your budget. And for another, it can make it easier to adapt to economic changes that can affect your budget and spending.

With that in mind, here are a few quick tips to help you pay less for eggs.

•   Shop the farmer’s market. Buying eggs locally from a farmer’s market vs. a supermarket could save you money if you’re able to find lower prices. You may even be able to work out a barter or trade with a local farmer or neighbor who has a backyard flock, which could allow you to get eggs for free.

•   Choose store brands. Store-brand products, including eggs, typically cost less than name-brand ones. If you’re not partial to any one egg brand, you may save a little money by choosing your local store’s brand.

•   Buy eggs in bulk. Buying in bulk could save you money if you’re paying a lower unit price per egg. But the catch is that you have to be sure you’re actually going to use them all; otherwise, you could be wasting money.

•   Use fewer eggs. A simple way to save money on eggs is to not consume as many. For instance, you might opt to get your daily protein from other sources or swap out your favorite baking recipes for ones that don’t incorporate eggs.

•   Shop with coupons and cash back apps. Couponing may seem tedious but supermarkets make it easier by allowing you to load digital coupons to your store loyalty card. You can pair coupons with a cash back app that pays you a percentage back when you shop at partner grocery stores, which can add to your savings.

The Takeaway

The average cost of a dozen eggs might not be something you think about on a day-to-day basis. But knowing how much you’ll pay for eggs matters when it’s time to go to the grocery store and do your weekly shopping. Keeping an eye on egg prices and implementing some different hacks for finding cheap eggs can help you keep your food budget in check.

Take control of your finances with SoFi. With our financial insights and credit score monitoring tools, you can view all of your accounts in one convenient dashboard. From there, you can see your various balances, spending breakdowns, and credit score. Plus you can easily set up budgets and discover valuable financial insights — all at no cost.

FAQ

How much did a dozen eggs cost in 2023?

As of July 2023, the average cost of a dozen eggs was $2.09, according to Consumer Price Index data. Overall, egg prices were on the decline by mid-2023 after peaking at $4.82 on average per dozen at the beginning of the year.

What state has the most expensive eggs?

Hawaii residents pay the most for a dozen eggs. On average, a dozen eggs there costs just under $10.

Do eggs last longer than sell by date?

Eggs can stay fresh past the sell by date, but there are limits on how long you’ll be able to use them. A simple way to tell if an egg is fresh is to place it in a glass or bowl of water. Eggs that float to the surface are no longer fresh, while ones that lie flat on their side are the freshest.

Photo credit: iStock/nd3000

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Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SORL-Q125-070

As you prepare for life after graduation, one important step is figuring out whether you’re required to make monthly student loan payments right away or if you have what’s called a “grace period.”

Read on to learn what a grace period is, when it starts, and how you might extend yours. You’ll also find a simple financial to-do list to tackle before you start making student loan payments.

What Is a Grace Period for Student Loans?

A student loan grace period is a window of time after a student graduates and before they must begin making loan payments. The intent of a grace period is to give new graduates a chance to get a job, get settled, select a repayment plan, and start saving a bit before their student loan payment due dates kick in. Most federal student loans have a grace period, and some private student loans do as well.

Grace periods also apply when a student leaves school or drops below half-time enrollment. Active members of the military who are deployed for more than 30 days during their grace period may receive the full grace period upon their return.

How Long Do Student Loan Grace Periods Last?

The grace period for federal student loans is typically six months. Some Perkins loans can have a nine-month grace period. When private lenders offer a grace period on student loans, it’s usually six months as well.

Keep in mind that, as noted above, not all student loans have grace periods.

Which Student Loans Have a Grace Period?

Whether you have a grace period depends on what kind of loans you have. Student loans fall into two main buckets: federal and private student loans.

Federal Student Loans

Most federal student loans have grace periods.

•   Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans have a six-month grace period.

•   Grad PLUS loans technically don’t have a grace period. But graduate or professional students get an automatic six-month deferment after they graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment.

•   Parent Plus loans also don’t have a grace period. However, parents can request a six-month deferment after their child graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time.

Keep in mind: Borrowers who consolidate their federal loans lose their grace period. Once your Direct Consolidation Loan is disbursed, repayment begins approximately two months later. And if you refinance, any grace period is determined by your new private lender.

Private Student Loans

The terms of private student loans vary by lender. Some private loans require that you make payments while you’re still in school. When private lenders do offer a grace period, it’s usually six months for undergraduates and nine months for graduate and professional students.

At SoFi, qualified private student loan borrowers can take advantage of a six-month grace period before payments are due. SoFi also honors existing grace periods on refinanced student loans.

If you’re not sure whether your private student loan has a grace period, check your loan documents or call your student loan servicer.

Will Interest Accrue During the Grace Period?

For most federal and private student loans, interest is charged during the grace period — even though you aren’t making payments on the loan. In some cases, this interest is then added to your total loan balance (a process called capitalization), effectively leaving you to pay interest on your interest.

In 2023, federal regulations changed so that the interest that accrues during a borrower’s grace period is not capitalized. According to the federal student aid website, “the interest that accrues during your grace period will be added to the outstanding balance of your loan, but it will not be capitalized.”

Smart Ways to Use Your Student Loan Grace Period

If you are in a financially tight spot after you graduate or during your break from school, a student loan grace period can offer some much-needed breathing room. Here’s how you can put your grace period to good use.

Organize Your Finances Before Payments Begin

Take this time to create a new post-grad budget. Which approach you use is up to you: the 70-20-10 Rule, the envelope budget method, or zero-based budgeting. The important thing is to determine your monthly income and expenses, setting aside enough to pay down debts and save a little.

Enroll in Autopay to Avoid Late Fees

Missed student loan payments can incur penalties and hurt your credit score. Setting up autopay means one less thing you have to remember. Some student loan lenders (like SoFi!) will even discount your interest rate for setting up automatic payments.

Make Early Payments to Reduce Interest Costs

Just because you don’t have to make payments toward student loans during a grace period doesn’t mean you can’t. If you are in a financial position to make payments — even interest-only payments — during a grace period, you should. It can help keep your loan’s principal balance from growing on certain types of student loans and the accruing interest from potentially capitalizing during your grace period.

Explore Repayment Plan Options Before the Grace Period Ends

Once your grace period is over for your federal loan, you’ll be automatically enrolled in the Standard Repayment plan. However, if you’re concerned about making your payments, several income-driven repayment plans are available. These plans generally reduce your payment to a small percentage of your discretionary income.

Consider Consolidating or Refinancing Your Student Loans

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but there are important differences between them. Both consolidation and refinancing combine and replace existing student loans with a single new loan.

A Direct Consolidation Loan allows you to combine several federal student loans into one new federal loan. The resulting interest rate is the weighted average of prior loan rates, rounded up to the nearest ⅛ of a percent. However, as noted above, borrowers who consolidate their federal loans lose their grace period.

Student loan refinancing is when you consolidate your student loans with a private lender and receive new rates and terms. Your interest rate — which ideally would be lower — is determined by your credit history.

Can You Extend Your Student Loan Grace Period?

If your loan doesn’t qualify for a grace period or you want to extend your grace period, you have options. You may delay your federal student-loan repayment through deferment and forbearance.

What’s the difference? Both are similar to a grace period in that you won’t be responsible for student loan payments for a length of time. The difference is in the interest.

When a loan is in forbearance, loan payments are temporarily paused, but interest will accrue during the forbearance period. This can lead to substantial increases in what you’ll pay for your federal loans over time. You’ll want to consider forbearance very carefully, and look into other options that might be available to you, like income-driven repayment plans. (The good news is that for most types of loans, the interest that accrues during forbearance no longer capitalizes.)

During deferment, by contrast, interest will not accrue on Direct Subsidized Loans, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and subsidized portions of Direct Consolidation Loans or Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL) Consolidation Loans. Other types of federal loans may still accrue interest during deferment, and that interest will capitalize upon exiting deferment unless you were enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan.

While grace periods are automatic, you’ll need to request a student loan deferment or forbearance and meet certain eligibility requirements. In some cases — during a medical residency or National Guard activation, for example — a lender is required to grant forbearance.

Pros and Cons of Using Your Full Grace Period

A grace period can be beneficial since it gives you time to get your financial situation in order before you need to start repaying your loans. However, there are also disadvantages to a grace period. Here are some pros and cons to weigh as you’re thinking about when to start paying student loans.

Pros

•   A grace period gives you time to find a job after graduation and start earning a salary.

•   You can create a budget and start saving money to put toward your student loan payments.

•   For those with Direct Subsidized loans, interest does not accrue on these loans during the grace period

Cons

•   With many student loans, interest does accrue, which increases the overall amount you need to repay.

•   The interest may also capitalize and be added to the principal balance of your loan so that you’re effectively paying interest on the interest.

•   Having more debt to repay can increase your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, which could impact your credit score and your ability to borrow money for other purposes, such as taking out a mortgage.

The Takeaway

Federal student loan grace periods are typically six months from your date of graduation, during which you don’t have to make payments. Most federal student loans have grace periods. Private student loan terms vary by lender. However, some lenders, like SoFi, match federal grace periods for undergrad loans.

During your grace period, you may want to make payments anyway, even interest-only payments, to prevent your balance from growing. The grace period is a good time to create a new budget, choose a repayment plan, and set up autopay.

If you have trouble making your payments, you have options, from income-driven repayment plans to loan consolidation to refinancing.

Looking to lower your monthly student loan payment? Refinancing may be one way to do it — by extending your loan term, getting a lower interest rate than what you currently have, or both. (Please note that refinancing federal loans makes them ineligible for federal forgiveness and protections. Also, lengthening your loan term may mean paying more in interest over the life of the loan.) SoFi student loan refinancing offers flexible terms that fit your budget.

FAQ

How do I know if my student loan has a grace period?

To find out if your student loan has a grace period, check your loan documents. As part of the terms and conditions stated on the documents, you should find information about a grace period if there is one, including how long it is. If you can’t find your loan documents or you’re still not sure if your loan has a grace period, call your loan servicer.

Can I start making payments before my grace period ends?

Yes, you can start making payments before your grace period ends. If you can afford to do so, making early payments can help keep your principal balance from growing and interest from accruing and potentially capitalizing. Even if you make interest-only payments, it can help reduce the total interest you’ll pay on the loan.

What happens if I don’t make a payment after my grace period?

If you fail to make student loan payments after your grace period ends, your loan could eventually go into default. A student loan is considered in default once you are nine months late on your payments. This could damage your credit rating and your future ability to take out a loan. If you’re having trouble making your loan payments, contact your loan servicer right away to see what your options are. You may be able to apply for income-driven repayment, forbearance, or deferment.

Does refinancing affect my grace period?

Whether refinancing affects your grace period depends on the lender. Some private lenders, like SoFi, will honor your grace period, but with others, student loan repayment may begin right away. Check with your refinancing lender.

Are grace periods the same for federal and private student loans?

No, grace periods are not the same for federal and private student loans. Federal student loans typically have a six-month grace period, though some Perkins loans have a nine-month grace period. Not all private lenders offer a grace period. Those who do typically offer a six-month grace period for undergraduates, and nine months for graduate students.

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
Terms and conditions apply. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are private loans. When you refinance federal loans with a SoFi loan, YOU FOREFEIT YOUR EILIGIBILITY FOR ALL FEDERAL LOAN BENEFITS, including all flexible federal repayment and forgiveness options that are or may become available to federal student loan borrowers including, but not limited to: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Based Repayment, Income-Contingent Repayment, extended repayment plans, PAYE or SAVE. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Learn more at SoFi.com/eligibility. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. We encourage you to evaluate all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.

Terms and Conditions Apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. SoFi Private Student loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, such as completion of a loan application and self-certification form, verification of application information, the student's at least half-time enrollment in a degree program at a SoFi-participating school, and, if applicable, a co-signer. In addition, borrowers must be U.S. citizens or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., and must meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements, including verification of sufficient income to support your ability to repay. Minimum loan amount is $1,000. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change. This information is current as of 04/24/2024 and is subject to change. SoFi Private Student loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891. (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

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SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.