Back
Guidance for Twelve-Month Living Expenses
Below are the base budgets for a twelve-month period in 2024-25 and 2025-26:
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate 12-Month Budget |
Low 12-Month Budget |
Moderate 12-Month Budget |
Low 12-Month Budget |
|
| United States | $35,190 | $23,580 | $36,180 | $24,240 |
| Northeast: | ||||
| Boston–Cambridge–Newton MA–NH | 39,413 | 26,410 | 40,160 | 26,906 |
| Hartford–East Hartford–Middletown CT | 35,894 | 24,052 | 36,542 | 24,482 |
| New York–Newark–Jersey City NY–NJ–PA | 38,709 | 25,938 | 39,436 | 26,422 |
| Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington PA–NJ–DE–MD | 36,950 | 24,759 | 38,351 | 25,694 |
| Pittsburgh PA | 35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| South: | ||||
| Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta GA | 35,894 | 24,052 | 36,904 | 24,725 |
| Baltimore–Columbia–Towson MD | 36,950 | 24,759 | 37,627 | 25,210 |
| Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia NC–SC Raleigh NC |
35,542 | 23,816 | 36,542 | 24,482 |
| Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington TX | 36,950 | 24,759 | 37,265 | 24,967 |
| Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land TX | 35,894 | 24,052 | 36,542 | 24,482 |
| Jacksonville FL Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford FL |
35,894 | 24,052 | 36,542 | 24,482 |
| Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach FL | 36,246 | 24,287 | 36,904 | 24,725 |
| New Orleans–Metairie LA | 35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| Oklahoma City OK | 35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| Richmond VA Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News VA–NC |
35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| San Antonio–New Braunfels TX Austin–Round Rock TX |
35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater FL | 35,190 | 23,580 | 36,542 | 24,482 |
| Washington–Arlington–Alexandria DC–VA–MD–WV | 40,820 | 27,353 | 41,607 | 27,876 |
| Midwest: | ||||
| Chicago–Naperville–Elgin IL–IN–WI | 36,246 | 24,287 | 36,904 | 24,725 |
| Cleveland–Elyria OH Cincinnati OH–KY–IN Columbus OH |
35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| Detroit–Warren–Dearborn MI | 35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| Indianapolis–Carmel–Anderson IN Louisville/Jefferson County KY–IN |
35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington MN–WI | 36,950 | 24,759 | 37,627 | 25,210 |
| St. Louis MO–IL | 35,190 | 23,580 | 36,180 | 24,240 |
| West: | ||||
| Anchorage AK | 37,301 | 24,995 | 37,989 | 25,452 |
| Denver–Aurora–Lakewood CO | 38,357 | 25,702 | 39,074 | 26,179 |
| Urban Honolulu HI | 38,709 | 25,938 | 39,798 | 26,664 |
| Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise NV | 35,542 | 23,816 | 36,904 | 24,725 |
| Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim CA | 39,061 | 26,174 | 39,436 | 26,422 |
| Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler AZ | 35,894 | 24,052 | 36,904 | 24,725 |
| Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro OR–WA | 36,950 | 24,759 | 37,989 | 25,452 |
| Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario CA | 35,894 | 24,052 | 36,904 | 24,725 |
| San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad CA | 40,469 | 27,117 | 41,245 | 27,634 |
| San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley CA | 41,172 | 27,589 | 43,054 | 28,846 |
| Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue WA | 39,413 | 26,410 | 40,522 | 27,149 |
Note: These budgets are provided to assist financial aid officers in developing living expense budgets for their independent, off-campus students. The budgets should not be confused with the actual boarding expenses experienced by an on-campus student. These budgets are intended as broad guidelines or starting points which should be adjusted to local economies, individual situations, and Department of Education Cost of Attendance guidelines.