What Is Room and Board and What Will It Cost You?

If you started looking at different colleges and thinking about where you want to study, you are probably taking college expenses into consideration. College tuition is notoriously high. But, it’s not the only expense you should be looking at. 

Another big expense is room and board. Read on to find out what room and board is, what includes, how much it will cost, and how to make it more affordable. 

What Is Room and Board? 

You may have come across the term ‘room and board’ while browsing different college websites. It’s important to understand the term as you’ll be seeing it a lot. 

If you guessed that room and board has to do with housing, you’re correct! Room and board also has to do with the (hopefully healthy) food that you’ll be putting in your stomach. In college, room refers to your dorm room and board refers to your meal plan. 

Room and board applies mostly to freshman students. Freshman students generally live in college dorms and have a meal plan.

Some colleges require freshmen students to live in college dorms freshman year and have a meal plan. We recommend this option anyways, as it helps you make new friends and adds to the college experience. It is also much more convenient.

What Does Room and Board Include? 

Room

If you’ve had your own bedroom for your whole life, you’ll have to get used to sharing your space with a roommate. While it is possible to make special arrangements to live on your own, most students share their room with one other person. It will take some getting used to, but living with a roommate is a unique part of the college experience that we don’t recommend missing out on.

Before you start browsing Ikea, you’ll be happy to know that your dorm room includes basic furniture. While it’s not the most stylish, it is pretty helpful. Your dorm room should include a bed, desk, closet, and dresser. Your dorm room also includes utilities like heat, electricity, and even WiFi.  What’s included in your room may vary depending on your school.

Board

Now that you know you’ll have a safe place to rest your head at night, you might be wondering about food! You may be far away from mom’s cooking, but your college meal plan will have you covered. The ‘board’ part of ‘room and board’ refers to your meal plan. Your college may offer you several options, ranging from unlimited access to the dining halls to one or two meals per day. 

The good thing about school dining halls is that they typically offer a wide variety of food that caters to different diets. Plus, if you aren’t into the entrees of the day, you can always count on the sandwich and salad bar.  

Every college offers different meal plan options. They also have a different number of dining halls. Some may only have one or two dining halls, while others may have five. Some colleges may allow you to use your meal plan at campus stores and cafes as well.  

Even if your college doesn’t require you to go with a meal plan, we highly recommend enjoying at least part of your meals in the dining hall. Having a meal plan spares you the time it takes to buy groceries, cook, and clean dishes. Plus, it’s another great way to expand your social circle and meet new students. 

Average Room and Board Cost

How much will room and board cost you?

In 2019-2020, the average cost of room and board at public colleges was $11,510. The average cost at private colleges was $12,990. 

To put things into perspective, the average cost of in-state tuition at public four-year colleges was $10,440. As you can see, the room and board is very costly. 

Note that the cost of room and board can differ significantly from school to school. It may also fluctuate depending on the kind of meal plan you have. 

For example, Yale University charges $17,200 for room and board for the 2020-2021 school year. On the other hand, the University of Michigan charges $10,907, while Northwestern Oklahoma State University charges $4,950.00 for room and board. 

Remember, your college might require you to sign up for a meal plan if you live in the dorms. So, if this is a problem for you, it’s something you should address with your school of choice and keep in mind as you apply to schools. 

Is Room and Board Cost Effective? 

After seeing the average cost of room and board, you may be having second thoughts. But, before you do so, you need to consider a few things. Although the cost may be high, living on your own in an apartment and buying your own food is not necessarily more cost effective. So, just how cost effective is room and board? 

If you’re debating between room and board or living on your own, you’ll want to take a few things into consideration. First of all, what is the average cost of living in the area in which your college is located? Are you planning to attend university at a big city like New York? Or are you considering a smaller college town feel? Rental prices near your college may be high. But living a bit further away from campus might be cheaper. These are all factors worth taking into consideration when considering if room and board is worth it.  

You’ll also want to consider the cost of groceries and likely going out to eat more (you’ll be busy and probably won’t have the energy to shop, cook, and clean all the time). 

The best part about a room and board plan is the convenience that it offers. You may end up paying more by living on campus and eating in the dining room, but you won’t have to worry about paying electricity, and internet bills, and cooking multiple meals a day for yourself. When you’re living outside of your parents’ home for the first time ever, this can be a huge lifesaver!

How to Make Room and Board More Affordable?

Now for the most important part. Yes! It is possible to make room and board more affordable. Here are some tips.

You can lower the cost of room and board by living in lower cost dorm rooms, such as a dormitory that may be a bit farther away from campus or an older dorm. If you’re given the choice between a private room and a shared room,  you can also opt-out of living solo and instead share the space with a roommate. There are plenty of bonding experiences to be had and memories to be made from sharing a dorm room. 

Secondly, you can lower the cost of room and board by opting for a smaller meal plan. You may find that you can get by with fruit, yogurt, toast, and cereal in your dorm room for breakfast. If that’s the case you can buy a meal plan that only covers you for lunch and dinner.  

How to Make Room and Board More Cozy?

We’re not going to sugarcoat it- college dorm room furniture isn’t the prettiest. But, with a little thought put into it, some rearranging, and a few inexpensive purchases, you might never want to leave in the end!  

Make your space you! Put up pictures of friends and family that remind you of home, hang string lights,  get some candles, and invest in a fuzzy rug. Throw in a cozy chair and comfortable bedding and we might have to call you the queen or king of cozy! 

Keep your space organized because you won’t have much of it. You will probably end up sharing the space with a roommate, so be considerate of them. Storage boxes that fit under the bed are a big help. Set up an organized workspace at your desk where you’ll be comfortable studying for hours on end. Stock up on the supplies you’ll need to get homework and projects done; when it comes to schoolwork, convenience is key. Read about other college study tips here. 

Can Scholarships Be Used to Pay for Room and Board? 

Wondering if scholarships cover the cost of room and board? The good news is that some scholarships allow you to use the money to cover room and board. In fact, a lot of scholarships allow you to use the scholarship money toward a variety of expenses, for example: tuition, room and board, computers, books, and supplies. Every scholarship is different so it’s best to ask the scholarship committee for more information on what their scholarship can be used for.  

Final Thoughts 

When you’re calculating the amount of money you need to put toward your college education, you need to take into consideration room and board, AKA where you’ll rest your head at night and the food you’ll put in your belly. Room and board is costly but there are many ways to make room and board more affordable. You can consider living with a roommate, living a bit off campus, and taking a smaller meal plan. Overall we’d recommend going for the room and board, as it will save you a lot of time, energy, and help you transition into college in a way where you can make more friends and memories. You can always make your room cozier which is also a big part of the experience. 

Now that you know what room and board is and everything it entails, it’s time to start looking for those scholarships!  Sign up for a free trial to see which scholarships you are eligible for