In 2016, the federal government provided students pursuing higher education with about $91 billion in direct financial support through a wide variety of spending programs and income and payroll tax preferences, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. The largest programs and preferences give financial assistance to students to offset the cost of school, either through grants or tax credits. Other spending programs and tax preferences reduce borrowing costs for students and their families. Still other tax provisions seek to help families save for postsecondary education by providing tax-favored investment accounts. This report examines the distribution of that assistance among households, by income group.