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Guidance for Nine-Month Living Expenses
Below are the base budgets for a nine-month period in 2025-26 and 2026-27:
2025-26 | 2026-27 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Moderate 9-Month Budget |
Low 9-Month Budget |
Moderate 9-Month Budget |
Low 9-Month Budget |
|
United States | $27,140 | $18,180 | $29,270 | $19,610 |
Northeast: | ||||
Boston–Cambridge–Newton MA–NH | 30,125 | 20,180 | 32,197 | 21,571 |
Hartford–East Hartford- Middletown CT | 27,411 | 18,362 | 29,855 | 20,002 |
New York–Newark–Jersey City NY–NJ–PA | 29,583 | 19,816 | 31,904 | 21,375 |
Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington PA–NJ–DE–MD | 28,768 | 19,271 | 30,734 | 20,591 |
Pittsburgh PA | 27,140 | 18,180 | 29,270 | 19,610 |
South: | ||||
Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Apharetta GA | 27,683 | 18,544 | 30,148 | 20,198 |
Baltimore–Columbia–Towson MD | 28,226 | 18,907 | 30,441 | 20,394 |
Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia NC–SC Raleigh NC |
27,411 | 18,362 | 29,563 | 19,806 |
Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington TX | 27,954 | 18,725 | 30,148 | 20,198 |
Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land TX | 27,411 | 18,362 | 29,563 | 19,806 |
Jacksonville FL Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford FL |
27,411 | 18,362 | 29,563 | 19,806 |
Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach FL | 27,683 | 18,544 | 30,148 | 20,198 |
New Orleans–Metairie LA | 27,140 | 18,180 | 29,270 | 19,610 |
Oklahoma City OK | 27,140 | 18,180 | 29,270 | 19,610 |
Richmond VA Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News VA–NC |
27,140 | 18,180 | 29,563 | 19,806 |
San Antonio–New Braunfels TX Austin–Round Rock TX |
27,140 | 18,180 | 29,270 | 19,610 |
Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater FL | 27,411 | 18,362 | 29,563 | 19,806 |
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria DC–VA–MD–WV | 31,211 | 20,907 | 33,075 | 22,159 |
Midwest: | ||||
Chicago–Naperville–Elgin IL–IN–WI | 27,683 | 18,544 | 29,563 | 19,806 |
Cleveland–Elyria OH Cincinnati OH–KY–IN Columbus OH |
27,140 | 18,180 | 29,270 | 19,610 |
Detroit–Warren–Dearborn MI | 27,140 | 18,180 | 29,270 | 19,610 |
Indianapolis–Carmel–Anderson IN Louisville/Jefferson County KY–IN |
27,140 | 18,180 | 29,270 | 19,610 |
Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington MN–WI | 28,226 | 18,907 | 30,441 | 20,394 |
St. Louis MO–IL | 27,140 | 18,180 | 29,270 | 19,610 |
West: | ||||
Anchorage AK | 28,497 | 19,089 | 30,441 | 20,394 |
Denver–Aurora–Lakewood CO | 29,311 | 19,634 | 31,612 | 21,179 |
Urban Honolulu HI | 29,854 | 19,998 | 31,904 | 21,375 |
Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise NV | 27,683 | 18,544 | 30,148 | 20,198 |
Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim CA | 29,583 | 19,816 | 31,612 | 21,179 |
Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler AZ | 27,683 | 18,544 | 30,148 | 20,198 |
Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro OR–WA | 28,497 | 19,089 | 30,441 | 20,394 |
Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario CA | 27,683 | 18,544 | 30,148 | 20,198 |
San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad CA | 30,940 | 20,725 | 33,075 | 22,159 |
San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley CA | 32,297 | 21,634 | 35,124 | 23,532 |
Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue WA | 30,397 | 20,362 | 32,782 | 21,963 |
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.