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Guidance for Nine-Month Living Expenses

Below are the base budgets for a nine-month period in 2026-27 and 2027-28:

  2026-27 2027-28
  Moderate
9-Month
Budget		 Low
9-Month
Budget		 Moderate
9-Month
Budget		 Low
9-Month
Budget
United States $29,270 $19,610 $31,530 $21,130
Northeast:
Boston–Cambridge–Newton MA–NH 32,197 21,571 34,368 23,032
Hartford–East Hartford–Middletown CT 29,855 20,002 32,161 21,553
New York–Newark–Jersey City NY–NJ–PA 31,904 21,375 34,368 23,032
Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington PA–NJ–DE–MD 30,734 20,591 33,107 22,187
Pittsburgh PA 29,270 19,610 31,530 21,130
South:
Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta GA 30,148 20,198 32,161 21,553
Baltimore–Columbia–Towson MD 30,441 20,394 32,476 21,764
Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia NC–SC
Raleigh NC		 29,563 19,806 31,845 21,341
Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington TX 30,148 20,198 32,161 21,553
Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land TX 29,563 19,806 31,845 21,341
Jacksonville FL
Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford FL		 29,563 19,806 31,530 21,130
Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach FL 30,148 20,198 32,791 21,975
New Orleans–Metairie LA 29,270 19,610 31,530 21,130
Oklahoma City OK 29,270 19,610 31,530 21,130
Richmond VA
Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News VA–NC		 29,563 19,806 31,845 21,341
San Antonio–New Braunfels TX
Austin–Round Rock TX		 29,270 19,610 31,530 21,130
Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater FL 29,563 19,806 32,161 21,553
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria DC–VA–MD–WV 33,075 22,159 34,683 23,243
Midwest:
Chicago–Naperville–Elgin IL–IN–WI 29,563 19,806 31,530 21,130
Cleveland–Elyria OH
Cincinnati OH–KY–IN
Columbus OH		 29,270 19,610 31,530 21,130
Detroit–Warren–Dearborn MI 29,270 19,610 31,530 21,130
Indianapolis–Carmel–Anderson IN
Louisville/Jefferson County KY–IN		 29,270 19,610 31,530 21,130
Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington MN–WI 30,441 20,394 32,791 21,975
St. Louis MO–IL 29,270 19,610 31,530 21,130
West:
Anchorage AK 30,441 20,394 32,791 21,975
Denver–Aurora–Lakewood CO 31,612 21,179 34,368 23,032
Urban Honolulu HI 31,904 21,375 34,368 23,032
Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise NV 30,148 20,198 32,476 21,764
Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim CA 31,612 21,179 34,052 22,820
Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler AZ 30,148 20,198 33,107 22,187
Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro OR–WA 30,441 20,394 33,107 22,187
Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario CA 30,148 20,198 33,107 22,187
San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad CA 33,075 22,159 35,629 23,877
San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley CA 35,124 23,532 37,521 25,145
Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue WA 32,782 21,963 35,314 23,666

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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