Cost of Attendance

It is important the students and parents understand the cost of attending a University can be more than just tuition and fees.

The estimated cost of attendance (COA) or “budget” is an approximation of the total costs a typical student may incur during the academic year (fall and spring semesters). The COA is the sum of the projected costs for tuition, fees, room and meals (students in University housing) or off-campus living expenses (commuting students), books and supplies, transportation, loan origination fees, and miscellaneous personal expenses.

Items included in the COA are either direct or indirect costs. Direct costs (DC) are charges assessed by the University, will appear on the student’s semester bill, and include tuition, fees, and room and board. Indirect costs (IC) are expenses incurred by the student that are not payable to the University and include transportation, off-campus living expenses, loan origination fees, books and supplies, and miscellaneous personal expenses. For planning purposes, students can expect that the COA budgets presented here are reasonable estimates of direct costs but that there will be some variation, depending upon individual students’ actual course enrollments, choice of residence hall, or meal plan.

Students can also expect wider variation in indirect costs, as these are largely dependent on individual lifestyles, circumstances, and spending habits – some students will spend more, while others will spend less.

COA budgets are revised annually and are based upon residency status (e.g., on- versus off-campus housing), academic level (e.g., undergraduate versus graduate student), and registration status (e.g., number of registered credits). Totals provided are for the academic year (fall and spring semesters); costs for one term are obtained by dividing the full-year cost in half; COA budgets for summer enrollment are prepared on an individual basis once a student has submitted a Summer Financial Aid Application.

Cost of Attendance Budgets for 2023-24:

	Resident	Commuter
Tuition, General Fee & Technical Fee	$39,660 (DC)	$39,660  (DC)
Housing and Food*	$15,300 (DC)	$ 2,600 Living Allowance
Books & Supplies	$ 2,000	$ 2,000
Travel	$ 1,200	$ 2,200
Personal Expenses	$ 2,200	$ 2,000
Loan Fees	$      80	$      80
Total Cost of Attendance	$60,440	$48,540

Direct Cost (Billed by CU)

$54,960

$39,660

*Based on an average of room costs and meal plans. Individual costs may vary, based on housing assignment and choice of meal plans. Actual room charges: Mother Joseph Residence Hall: $7,406; Rosary Hall: $8,453; Dominican Hall: $10,516.  Meal plan charge $6,374.00

Students living off campus should be aware that they can have an estimated board amount because even if they do not have a meal plan, they still need to pay for food. The expense for off campus living can be added to the cost of attendance with a copy of a lease submitted to the financial aid office. If a student living off campus is planning to use their refund to assist in paying for rent, they should be aware that refunds are not issued until all financial aid funds are credited to their account.

Indirect costs (Books, travel, and miscellaneous) are costs that should be kept in mind when planning. You may need a new laptop, software, etc. that will qualify for miscellaneous charges. If you are not a commuter student, travel can be considered going home for holidays and breaks.

FINANCIAL PLANNING TOOLS

• Net Price Calculator – determine your educational expenses using our cost calculator.
• FAFSA4caster – estimate your eligibility for federal student aid using the Federal Aid forecaster.
• NJ TAG Estimator – estimate your eligibility for the New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant that is awarded by New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistant Authority (NJ HESAA).
• Login MyCaldwell Account to view your Financial Aid records. (Download the Quick Guide)
• Educational Loans– information regarding the various loan programs (Click on the Loan Resources Tab)
• Payment Plan – information regarding the payment plan through the Bursars office.