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Guidance for Twelve-Month Living Expenses

Below are the base budgets for a twelve-month period in 2025-26 and 2026-27:

  2025-26 2026-27
  Moderate
12-Month
Budget		 Low
12-Month
Budget		 Moderate
12-Month
Budget		 Low
12-Month
Budget
United States $36,180 $24,240 $39,030 $26,150
Northeast:
Boston–Cambridge–Newton MA–NH 40,160 26,906 42,933 28,765
Hartford–East Hartford–Middletown CT 36,542 24,482 39,811 26,673
New York–Newark–Jersey City NY–NJ–PA 39,436 26,422 42,543 28,504
Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington PA–NJ–DE–MD 38,351 25,694 40,982 27,458
Pittsburgh PA 36,180 24,240 39,030 26,150
South:
Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta GA 36,904 24,725 40,201 26,935
Baltimore–Columbia–Towson MD 37,627 25,210 40,591 27,196
Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia NC–SC
Raleigh NC		 36,542 24,482 39,420 26,412
Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington TX 37,265 24,967 40,201 26,935
Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land TX 36,542 24,482 39,420 26,412
Jacksonville FL
Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford FL		 36,542 24,482 39,420 26,412
Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach FL 36,904 24,725 40,201 26,935
New Orleans–Metairie LA 36,180 24,240 39,030 26,150
Oklahoma City OK 36,180 24,240 39,030 26,150
Richmond VA
Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News VA–NC		 36,180 24,240 39,420 26,412
San Antonio–New Braunfels TX
Austin–Round Rock TX		 36,180 24,240 39,030 26,150
Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater FL 36,542 24,482 39,420 26,412
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria DC–VA–MD–WV 41,607 27,876 44,104 29,550
Midwest:
Chicago–Naperville–Elgin IL–IN–WI 36,904 24,725 39,420 26,412
Cleveland–Elyria OH
Cincinnati OH–KY–IN
Columbus OH		 36,180 24,240 39,030 26,150
Detroit–Warren–Dearborn MI 36,180 24,240 39,030 26,150
Indianapolis–Carmel–Anderson IN
Louisville/Jefferson County KY–IN		 36,180 24,240 39,030 26,150
Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington MN–WI 37,627 25,210 40,591 27,196
St. Louis MO–IL 36,180 24,240 39,030 26,150
West:
Anchorage AK 37,989 25,452 40,591 27,196
Denver–Aurora–Lakewood CO 39,074 26,179 42,152 28,242
Urban Honolulu HI 39,798 26,664 42,543 28,504
Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise NV 36,904 24,725 40,201 26,935
Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim CA 39,436 26,422 42,152 28,242
Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler AZ 36,904 24,725 40,201 26,935
Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro OR–WA 37,989 25,452 40,591 27,196
Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario CA 36,904 24,725 40,201 26,935
San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad CA 41,245 27,634 44,104 29,550
San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley CA 43,054 28,846 46,836 31,380
Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue WA 40,522 27,149 43,714 29,288

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.

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