Editor's note: Penn State's Board of Trustees approved the 2025-26 housing and food rates, as outlined below, during its meeting on July 19.
ALTOONA, Pa. — The standard housing and food rate at Penn State’s University Park campus, based on a traditional double room and the mid-level meal plan, would increase by $216 per semester, or 3.21%, for the 2025-26 academic year under a plan advanced today (July 18) by the Penn State Board of Trustees Committee on Finance, Business and Capital Planning.
The proposed rates will go to the full board for final consideration on Friday, July 19.
Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for Finance and Business/treasurer, said proposed rate increases are necessary to cover projected rises in food costs and operating expenses, as well as increased debt service due to Housing and Food Services (HFS) resuming its capital plan.
“Penn State is committed to controlling all facets of a student’s cost of attendance, and this includes our housing and food rates, which remain well below the Big Ten average,” Thorndike said. “Despite significant inflationary pressures, we have worked hard to minimize cost increases for our students while still providing them with a high-quality living experience in well-maintained facilities. We strive to provide housing and food rates that are competitive in each campus’ local market and that are in line with the resource needs of our students.”
Housing and Food Services is a self-supporting auxiliary unit that operates residence halls at 12 Penn State campuses across the commonwealth. Neither state funds nor tuition dollars are used for the construction, maintenance or operations of the housing and dining program. As a result, housing and food revenues must cover all operating expenses, debt, interest, and major maintenance and facility renewal costs.
University Park rates
At University Park, the cost of a traditional double room, which makes up the largest percentage of the University’s room inventory, would increase by $118 per semester, or 3%, to $4,039. The cost of the mid-level meal plan, the most popular option, would rise by $98 per semester, or 3.5%, to $2,901, bringing the total per-semester housing and food rate at University Park to $6,940 for the 2025-26 academic year.
For the fifth consecutive year, graduate housing 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.
Thorndike said HFS will initiate the first phase of its capital plan at University Park’s Pollock Halls in fiscal year 2025-26, starting with renovations to Ritner and Wolf halls. The proposed rates also are inclusive of $28 million that has been budgeted to address deferred maintenance in residence facilities across the commonwealth, including roof replacements, plumbing repairs, elevator maintenance, furniture, painting, equipment, technology and security.
Commonwealth Campus rates
At Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses, a traditional double room and mid-level meal plan at the Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Berks, Brandywine and Harrisburg campuses would increase by $141 per semester, or 2.15%, to $6,705. 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 by $92 per semester, or 1.42%, to $6,562.
At Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Berks, Brandywine and Harrisburg, the rate for a traditional double room would increase by $87 per semester, or 2.25%, to $3,942. The rate for a traditional double room at Behrend, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Mont Alto and Schuylkill would rise by $38 per semester, or 1%, to $3,799. At all Commonwealth Campuses with residential dining, the cost of the mid-level meal plan would rise by $54 per semester, or 2%, to $2,763 for 2025-26.
The proposed 2025-26 rates for each campus and the various room types can be viewed here; final rates will be posted at liveon.psu.edu/rates. Housing and food rates for the 2024-25 academic year were previously approved by the board at its July 2023 meeting.
LiveOn grant program continues to support students in need
To support students with financial need, Penn State initiated the LiveOn Student Success Grant program during the 2021-22 academic year to help offset the cost of living on campus. Available at all of Penn State’s residential campuses, the program provides eligible students with a $3,000 grant that can be renewed annually for four years, providing total savings of up to $12,000. For a student living on campus all four years, the grant covers roughly one free year of housing and food costs.
Thorndike said that for 2024-25, HFS projects that it will award LiveOn grants totaling more than $2 million to 667 students, and for program’s fifth year in 2025-26, Penn State anticipates awarding grants totaling $1.85 million to 615 students. Students can learn more about the LiveOn program here.
Additional resources are available for any student who may be facing challenges with food or housing security. All Penn State Commonwealth Campuses also have food pantries or other community resources available for students in need of assistance.