Average Cost of Room & Board at College

Report Highlights. The average cost of room & board is $12,990 annually.

  • For a full 4 years of college, the average cost of room & board is $52,700.
  • The average cost of room & board has decreased over the last two years when adjusted for inflation.
  • The average cost of room & board at a public 4 year college is $12,640 annually.
  • For a private 4 year college, the average cost of room & board is $14,410 annually.

Related reports include Average Cost of College | Average Cost of College Textbooks | Average Cost of Private School | Average Cost of a College Credit Hour | Average Cost of College by State

Average Annual Cost of Room & Board

The cost of room & board refers to the price of housing and the price of a meal plan while a student lives on a college campus. The average annual cost of room & board sometimes has an inverse relationship with the annual cost of tuition. If the price of tuition drops, colleges occasionally raise the rates of room & board to make up for lost revenue.

  • The average cost of room & board annually is $12,990.
  • On average, 43% of an undergraduate’s annual charges at a 4-year university go to room and board.
  • On average, 68% of an undergraduate’s annual charges at a 2-year university go to room and board.
Cost of Room & Board by College Type
Type of College Annual Cost of Room and Board
Public 2-year College $8,360
Public 4-year College $12,640
Private 2-year College $11,380
Private 4-year College $14,410

Annual Increase in Room & Board

The average cost of room & board rose nearly every year since 1990 to 2020. The cost of room & board increased on average by $190 annually over this time when adjusted for inflation. The average cost of room & board has decreased over the last two years when adjusted for inflation.

  • In 1990-1991, the average cost of room & board was $7,500 for public 4-year institutions when adjusted for inflation.
  • By 2022-2023, the average cost at public institutions grew to $12,640, a 69% increase from 1990-1991.
  • For private 4-year institutions, the average cost of room & board in 1990-1991 was $9,300. 
  • By 2022-2023, it rose to $14,410, a 55% increase.

Examples of College Room & Board Costs

Colleges may offer out-of-state students different rates for room & board; many also have varied prices for different residence halls depending on amenities. The prices listed here are the combined averages of each college’s dorm and meal plans.

  • The University of Florida, for example, charges $3,020 a semester for a double room in its Broward residence hall and $4,080 a semester for a double suite in its Cypress hall.
  • Room & board account for 44% of Ohio University’s total cost of attendance.
  • At Cornell College, room & board account for 17% of the total cost of attendance.
Room & Board by College
College Annual Cost
University of Pennsylvania $18,500
Colorado College $16,020
Georgia Institute of Technology $13,400
Ohio University $13,590
Cornell College $11,590
University of Florida $10,830
Emporia State University $11,090

Graduate School Differences in Room & Board Costs

The cost of room & board varies by degree level. In general, private colleges charge more for room & board at all degree levels compared to public colleges.

  • Room & board for a bachelor’s degree from a public 4-year university averages $11,850 annually.
  • A master’s degree from a public 4-year university averages $11,680 annually for room & board.
  • Room & board for a doctoral degree from a public 4-year university averages $13,400 annually.
  • In a private 4-year university, room & board for a bachelor’s degree averages $13,580 annually.
  • A master’s degree from a private 4-year university averages $13,710 annually for room & board.
  • Room & board for a doctoral degree from a private 4-year university averages $16,780 annually.
Average Cost of Room & Board Public and Private College Combined
Degree Average Cost of Room and Board Annually
Bachelor’s $12,720
Master’s $12,700
Doctoral

$15,090

Average State Cost of Room & Board

Certain regions of the United States have higher average costs for room & board than others. The average cost of campus housing is not always comparable with the cost of regular housing throughout the local area or the rest of the state.

  • States within the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains regions, such as Utah and North Dakota, had colleges with the cheapest prices for room & board.
  • New England states, such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, had colleges with the most expensive listings for room & board.
  • The most expensive state for room & board is New York at an average of $16,540 annually.
  • The cheapest state for room & board is Utah at an average of $8,280 annually.
Cost of Room & Board by State
State Average Cost of Room & Board Annually
Alabama $10,690
Alaska $10,880
Arizona $11,710
Arkansas $9,540
California $15,760
Colorado $13,750
Connecticut $14,940
Delaware $13,110
District of Columbia $17,190
Florida $12,370
Georgia $12,470
Hawaii $12,790
Idaho $9,520
Illinois $13,000
Indiana $12,200
Iowa $10,450
Kansas $10,180
Kentucky $10,470
Louisiana $12,660
Maine $12,460
Maryland $14,190
Massachusetts $15,840
Michigan $11,180
Minnesota $11,080
Mississippi $9,970
Missouri $11,060
Montana $10,080
Nebraska $11,000
Nevada $12,960
New Hampshire $12,970
New Jersey $14,200
New Mexico $10,850
New York $16,540
North Carolina $12,220
North Dakota $8,460
Ohio $12,790
Oklahoma $9,790
Oregon $14,000
Pennsylvania $13,610
Rhode Island $15,100
South Carolina $10,820
South Dakota $8,490
Tennessee $11,350
Texas $11,530
Utah $8,280
Vermont $14,270
Virginia $12,050
Washington $13,450
West Virginia $10,840
Wisconsin $10,690
Wyoming $9,710

Sources

    1. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics
    2. University of Florida
    3. Emporia University, Admissions Costs
    4. Ohio University, Cost of Attendance
    5. Cornell College, Cost of Attendance
    6. Georgia Institute of Technology, Undergraduate Costs
    7. University of Pennsylvania, Undergraduate Cost of Attendance
    8. Colorado College, Cost of Attendance
    9. CollegeBoard, Trends in College Pricing
    10. Urban Institute, The Price of Room and Board