College housing costs surge as families face pricier move-in day

Public four-year colleges have pushed room-and-board charges 9 percent above inflation over the past five years. The rise lands on top of dorm essentials, travel, storage and campus fees that arrive at the same time as enrollment deposits and meal-plan bills.

Without adjusting for inflation, room-and-board fees at public colleges and universities have climbed more than 20 percent since 2009, while tuition at public universities rose 21 percent over the same period. Between 2000 and 2017, room-and-board costs for students living off campus rose 24 percent after inflation at public four-year universities, based on National Center for Education Statistics data analyzed by College Board.

College Board’s Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2024 covers the full cost of one year of undergraduate study, not just tuition. The October 21, 2024 update found published tuition prices at public institutions increased less than inflation, while Pell Grant dollar amounts and the number of Pell recipients rose after several years of declines. Undergraduate borrowing fell for the 13th consecutive year. Average published tuition and fees were $11,950 at public four-year in-state institutions, $4,400 at public two-year institutions and $45,970 at private nonprofit four-year institutions, with room-and-board costs folded into estimated budgets.

The Federal Student Aid handbook makes cost of attendance the cornerstone for determining need-based aid and sets the limit on total aid students may receive in certain federal programs. Non-tuition costs such as food, tech and gas add up quickly, and furnishing a dorm room costs more than many families expect.