College Cost Estimator

Estimate College Costs at Public Colleges and Universities

This section of our site helps you with estimating costs for private and public institutions (in-state and out-of-state).

To get additional information for handling college costs, see this video or visit our page on Finding Scholarships.

• Private Colleges & Universities

Staying on Campus?

PUBLIC College/University (In-State)

Staying on Campus?

PUBLIC College/University (Out-Of-State)

Not Staying on Campus?

PUBLIC College/University

• Tuition at public colleges and universities for students who are residents of the state where they attend college (in-state) is usually much less than tuition is for a student who is not a resident of the state (out-of-state). Some states may allow students from neighboring states to attend college as an in-state student (See Chapter 5 in Winning Scholarships for College for more information). The tuition at private colleges and universities is the same for both in-state and out-of-state students.
• Room refers to the amount you will need to stay in the dormitory or campus housing without the benefit of meals. Commuter students do not live on campus. They usually live off campus with relatives or on their own. In the commuter estimate, it is assumed you are living with your parents. If this is not the case and you are living in an off-campus apartment, your expenses will be more than those shown for a student living on-campus.
• Board applies to the fees students pay for eating on-campus in the cafeteria or other college/university restaurants/eateries.

Please contact each individual college or university in which you’re interested to get specific costs.The amounts listed in these tables are estimates. Actual amounts could be more or less. For a better assessment of your college/university expenses, look at the catalogs or web sites of the various schools you are interested in and use the information you find to calculate a more specific estimate. If you do not have the current catalog and cannot find it on their web site, call the admissions office and ask about the cost of tuition, related fees, room and board for a year. Personal, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses are variable costs and depend primarily upon your needs. Some colleges and universities have estimates for these costs. Others may not.The amounts listed in the preceding table should suffice if you cannot reach an estimate on your own. The cost of books also varies, but most institutions should be able to give you a general average. In general, the cost for books at private institutions is slightly higher than those at public institutions. Some institutions may also require students to have a computer. For specific costs and expenses at thousands of colleges throughout the United States, refer to the College Board’s annual handbook, College Cost & Financial Aid Handbook or their web site: http://www.collegeboard.org.