College Room and Board: How Housing and Food Drive Your Real Cost in 2026
- College Board, "Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2024" (research.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/Trends-in-College-Pricing-and-Student-Aid-2024-ADA.pdf) - retrieved September 10, 2026
- College Board, "Trends in College Pricing 2024" budget components table - retrieved September 10, 2026
All figures are estimates based on publicly available data. Use the linked calculators to model your own situation.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
Is room and board included in tuition?▼
No. Tuition and fees cover instruction and some campus services. Room and board (housing and food) is billed separately and is its own budget component in the College Board's cost-of-attendance figures.
Why is community college housing so much lower?▼
The College Board models public two-year students as commuters living off-campus, so their housing-and-food figure reflects shared off-campus living rather than a dorm and meal plan. Four-year students are modeled on-campus, which bundles a more expensive housing and dining arrangement.
Does living off-campus always save money?▼
Not always. Off-campus can be cheaper if you share a low-rent lease and cook, but it can cost more near expensive campuses once you add rent, utilities, insurance, and transit. Always price a real lease before assuming savings.
Where do these figures come from?▼
They are the College Board's average budget components for full-time undergraduates in 2024-25, published in Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2024. They are national averages, not a specific school's bill.