WHAT EXPENSES CAN I EXPECT AT COLLEGE?
The expenses involved with going to college include more than the cost of tuition that schools tell you up front. It’s a mix of many different things, all of which cost money. This is referred to as the Cost of Attendance (COA).
TUITION + FEES
HOUSING
BOOKS + SUPPLIES
TRANSPORTATION + OTHER COSTS
HOW MUCH DOES
COLLEGE COST IN INDIANA?
AVERAGE COLLEGE TUITION AND FEES IN INDIANA
Tuition and fees are the basic costs of college. This pays for your classes and related mandatory fees and represents about 38% of the cost of college.
In Indiana, the average tuition costs from the 2021-2022 school year were:
$7,824
for public in-state tuition
$22,032
for public out-of-state tuition
$32,643
for private, nonprofit tuition
Here are the 2021-2022 average tuition and fees for popular four-year institutions in Indiana:
$11,333 for Indiana University – Bloomington
$10,290 for Ball State University
$9,992 for Purdue University
$9,424 for the University of Southern Indiana
$53,896 for DePauw University
$43,400 for Butler University
$58,843 for the University of Notre Dame
AVERAGE COST OF ROOM AND BOARD IN INDIANA
Housing costs cover where you’ll live. This could include on- or off-campus housing, and takes up about 41% of the total you’ll spend on college, on average.
Room and board costs vary across states and institutions. The national averages for the 2021-2022 school year were as follows:
$11,620
for public, four-year institutions
$13,120
or private, nonprofit institutions
Here are the 2021-2022 average room and board costs for popular four-year institutions in
$12,098 for Indiana University – Bloomington
$10,796 for Ball State University
$10,030 for Purdue University
$9,772 for the University of Southern Indiana
$14,098 for DePauw University
$14,850 for Butler University
$16,304 for the University of Notre Dame
AVERAGE COST OF BOOKS AND SUPPLIES IN INDIANA
Books and supplies aren’t included in your tuition and fees. These are going to be roughly 6% of your college costs. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average postsecondary student paid between
$628 AND $1,471
on books and supplies during the 2021-2022 school year
Here are the 2021-2022 average books and supplies cost for some popular four-year institutions
$1,050 for Indiana University – Bloomington
$1,364 for Ball State University
$1,000 for Purdue University
$1,200 for the University of Southern Indiana
$1,200 for DePauw University
$1,100 for Butler University
$1,250 for the University of Notre Dame
WHAT ADDITIONAL EXPENSES SHOULD I PLAN FOR?
In addition to these costs, you should be aware of other expenses that may come up as a college student. New clothes, eating out, entertainment and travel are all costs that may surface while you are enrolled in college. It’s always a good idea to plan ahead for these expenses as well.
ESTIMATE YOUR OWN COLLEGE COSTS
Your own college costs will be unique to you, so it’s best to estimate and plan ahead for the cost of your future college education. With the College Scorecard, you can find out what you might expect to pay at colleges in Indiana and beyond by estimating your family’s income. The price you will see is what is called a net cost, or, what you can expect to pay after financial aid.
The College Scorecard also lets you see side-by-side comparisons of costs at different colleges, and create “what-if” scenarios to see how the results can change as your circumstances change (financial, etc).
To use the College Scorecard, ask your parent or guardian to help you estimate your family’s income.
SEE YOUR COLLEGE RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Getting a college education can lead to you making more money in your career and throughout the rest of your life. Use this interactive College Return on Investment tool to see how your degree can affect your income based on the college you attend and what you study.
NEED HELP AFFORDING COLLEGE?
There’s no doubt that college can get expensive – even though we know the return on education after high school provides great financial returns over your lifetime. There are many tools and resources that can help make these costs more manageable in the short-term.
AFFORDING COLLEGE FAQS
Although room and board may be different depending on your college, the costs include housing and a meal plan.
The comparison price between living in a dorm or off campus depends on your school. It is best to check with your college’s admissions office to find more information on this. Also, some schools do not allow students to live off campus unless they are commuting.
Some scholarships can pay for room and board. However, some explicitly state that funding cannot be used for room and board. Pay close attention to the details of your scholarships.
Filing the FAFSA can help with room and board. However, it doesn’t always provide money for these costs. To determine if you qualify for money to pay for room and board, file to FAFSA to see how much aid you can receive.
Most families pay for college through multiple different sources. A mix of financial aid, scholarships and savings are often used to cover the costs of a student’s higher education.