10 States With The Most Expensive Room And Board

If you’re thinking about going to college out-of-state or attending a college that requires students to live on-campus, it’s important to check out the room and board costs. Room and board is just one significant cost factored into the cost-of-attendance at each school. Whether you live on or off-campus, the room and board averages listed here are what you can expect to spend on housing and food over the nine-month academic year in each state.

Our data team at Edmit has identified ten states with the highest average room and board fees. Not surprisingly, many of these states also top other lists for the highest cost of living in the United States. Most states on this list are in the MidEast and New England regions of the United states, which we determined are the most expensive regions for room and board costs.

#10 Pennsylvania - $11,906 average room and board

#9 Vermont - $12,171 average room and board

#8 New Jersey - $12,312 average room and board

#7 California - $13,136 average room and board

#6 New Hampshire - $13,266 average room and board

#5 New York - $13,386 average room and board

#4 Rhode Island - $13,432 average room and board

#3 Connecticut - $13,547 average room and board

#2 Massachusetts - $13,637 average room and board

#1 Hawaii - $13,652 average room and board

A Final Word on States with Expensive Room and Board

Will you attend college in a state on this list? One option is to look for a relative or family friend to live with. While some colleges reduce the cost of attendance for students who live off-campus, you may be able to save while living with someone you know. Although the cost of attendance is reduced, most colleges do factor in a small amount of money for housing and food for students who live at home. With a carefully planned budget, you can afford to attend college without breaking the bank on housing expenses.

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Note: State room and board data is from 2017-2018 academic year.