Editor's note: Penn State's Board of Trustees approved the 2024-25 room and board rates, as outlined below, during its meeting on July 21.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The standard room and board rate at Penn State’s University Park campus, based on a traditional double room and the mid-level meal plan, would increase by $209 per semester, or 3.21%, for the 2024-25 academic year under a plan advanced today (July 20) by the Penn State Board of Trustees Committee on Finance, Business and Capital Planning. Room and board rates for the 2023-24 academic year were approved by the board in February.
The proposed rates will go to the full board for final consideration on Friday, July 21. University leaders are presenting the 2024-25 rates during the board’s July meeting as part of Penn State’s transition to a two-year budget cycle.
At University Park, all room rates would rise by 3% for the 2024-25 academic year. The cost of a traditional double room, which makes up the largest percentage of the University’s room inventory, would increase by $114 per semester, to $3,921. The cost of the mid-level meal plan, the most popular option, would rise by $95 per semester, or 3.5%, to $2,803, bringing the total per-semester room and board rate at University Park to $6,724 for the 2024-25 academic year.
Penn State Housing and Food Services is a self-supporting auxiliary unit. Housing and food revenues must cover all operating expenses, debt, interest, and major maintenance and facility renewal costs. Neither state funds nor tuition are used for the construction, maintenance or operations of the housing and dining program.
The primary cost drivers impacting room and board rates include projected increases for operating expenses, employee salaries and benefits, food, and the operation of the Residence Life program, as well as debt service on new or renovated residence halls, according to Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for Finance and Business/treasurer. In addition, the proposed rates are inclusive of $23 million that has been budgeted to address a backlog in facilities maintenance that dates to the COVID-19 years, including roof replacements, plumbing repairs, elevator maintenance, furniture, painting, equipment, technology and security.
“We are focused on providing students with the highest quality on-campus living experience for the lowest possible price, with rates that are competitive in the local market for each campus,” Thorndike said. “As a University, we are committed to controlling student costs whenever possible, and that extends to our room and board rates. The 3.21% increase at University Park for 2024-25 is the lowest in the last five years, and we’ve been able to hold rate increases even lower at our Commonwealth Campuses to address the resource needs of our students.”
Housing and Food Services operates residence halls at 12 Penn State campuses across the commonwealth. In addition to services at the University Park campus, residential campuses include the University’s Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Hazleton, Mont Alto and Schuylkill campuses.
Commonwealth Campus rates
A traditional double room and mid-level meal plan at Penn State’s Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Berks, Brandywine and Harrisburg campuses would increase $138 per semester, or 2.15%, to $6,564. The cost of a traditional double room and mid-level meal plan at the Behrend, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Mont Alto and Schuylkill campuses would rise $90 per semester, or 1.39%, to $6,470.
At the Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Berks, Brandywine and Harrisburg campuses, rates for all residence hall rooms and apartments would increase by 2.25%, while all room and apartment rates at the Behrend, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Mont Alto and Schuylkill campuses would rise by 1%. At all Commonwealth Campuses with residential dining, the proposed cost of the mid-level meal plan would rise by $53 per semester, or 2%, to $2,709 for 2024-25.
In addition, for the fourth consecutive year, graduate apartment rates at the White Course Apartments at University Park would be held flat, with a one-bedroom, one-bathroom, unfurnished apartment remaining $1,168 per month. Graduate apartment rates last increased for the 2019-20 academic year.
Room and board rates for 2023-24 are available here now. The 2024-25 rates can be viewed here for each campus and the various room types; final rates will be posted at liveon.psu.edu/rates.