There are 25 colleges in District of Columbia - 2 public and 23 private schools. At District of Columbia colleges, the Cost of Attendance (COA), which includes tuition, mandatory fees, books and supplies, housing, meals, and personal expenses, has consistently increased over the last decade, driving up the overall cost of college.
District of Columbia Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at District of Columbia colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 18.58%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 15.82%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $33,613 when living on campus and $32,642 when living off campus.
District of Columbia Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
7.83% (from $5,251 to $5,662) |
$5,662 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
11.40% (from $11,233 to $12,514) |
$12,514 |
| Private Colleges |
20.74% (from $28,312 to $34,184) |
$34,184 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 11.40%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 12.10% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At District of Columbia colleges, living costs increased by 26.84% for on-campus and 21.95% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $20,017 (on-campus) and $19,046 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (-18.77%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,082.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 18.58% when living on campus and 15.82% when living off campus at District of Columbia Colleges.
In private District of Columbia Colleges, the COA has increase by 21.70% (on-campus) and 19.99% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $33,613 when a student lives on campus and $32,642 when living off campus at District of Columbia Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for District of Columbia Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of District of Columbia Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$22,364 | $28,346 | $45,425 | $22,201 | $28,183 | $45,262 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$22,742
1.69% | $28,886
1.91% | $46,561
2.50% | $22,348
0.66% | $28,492
1.10% | $46,167
2.00% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$23,364
2.74% | $29,700
2.82% | $47,794
2.65% | $23,671
5.92% | $30,007
5.32% | $48,101
4.19% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$24,138
3.31% | $30,666
3.25% | $50,885
6.47% | $23,287
-1.62% | $29,815
-0.64% | $50,034
4.02% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$24,539
1.66% | $31,223
1.82% | $49,931
-1.87% | $23,874
2.52% | $30,558
2.49% | $49,266
-1.53% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$25,223
2.79% | $32,075
2.73% | $50,974
2.09% | $23,888
0.06% | $30,740
0.60% | $49,639
0.76% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$25,199
-0.10% | $32,051
-0.07% | $49,898
-2.11% | $23,810
-0.33% | $30,662
-0.25% | $48,509
-2.28% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$25,576
1.50% | $32,428
1.18% | $48,741
-2.32% | $24,665
3.59% | $31,517
2.79% | $47,830
-1.40% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$26,327
2.94% | $33,179
2.32% | $50,593
3.80% | $25,129
1.88% | $31,981
1.47% | $49,395
3.27% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$26,761
1.65% | $33,613
1.31% | $55,283
9.27% | $25,790
2.63% | $32,642
2.07% | $54,312
9.95% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for District of Columbia Colleges is $6,032 for District of Columbia residents and $12,884 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $34,877.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $9,974 for District of Columbia residents and $18,488 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $27,507.
The tuition & fees has increased 11.40% for undergraduate programs and 12.10% for graduate programs at District of Columbia Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for District of Columbia Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$5,251 | $11,233 | $28,312 | $8,700 | $16,162 | $23,319 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$5,612
6.87% | $11,756
4.66% | $29,431
3.95% | $9,158
5.26% | $16,808
4.00% | $23,898
2.48% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$5,756
2.57% | $12,092
2.86% | $30,186
2.57% | $9,410
2.75% | $17,294
2.89% | $24,814
3.83% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$5,888
2.29% | $12,416
2.68% | $32,635
8.11% | $9,644
2.49% | $17,762
2.71% | $25,610
3.21% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$6,020
2.24% | $12,704
2.32% | $31,412
-3.75% | $9,860
2.24% | $18,176
2.33% | $25,252
-1.40% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$6,152
2.19% | $13,004
2.36% | $31,903
1.56% | $10,094
2.37% | $18,608
2.38% | $25,907
2.59% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$6,152 | $13,004 | $30,851
-3.30% | $10,094 | $18,608 | $26,453
2.11% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$6,152 | $13,004 | $29,317
-4.97% | $10,094 | $18,608 | $30,119
13.86% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$6,152 | $13,004 | $30,418
3.76% | $10,094 | $18,608 | $29,260
-2.85% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$5,662
-7.96% | $12,514
-3.77% | $34,184
12.38% | $9,604
-4.85% | $18,118
-2.63% | $26,816
-8.35% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,082 for District of Columbia Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for District of Columbia Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,332 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,221
-8.33% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,226
0.41% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,457
18.84% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,285
-11.81% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,267
-1.40% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,202
-5.13% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $984
-18.14% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $984 |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,082
9.96% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For District of Columbia Colleges, the living have increased 24.14% when a student lives on campus facilities and 22.40% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for District of Columbia Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $15,781 | $16,667 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $15,909
1.95% | $16,496
2.68% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $16,382
2.71% | $17,295
5.95% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $16,793
2.92% | $17,027
-0.59% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $17,234
3.22% | $17,809
2.30% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $17,804
3.03% | $18,108
0.32% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $17,845
-0.03% | $17,998
0.69% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $18,440
3.92% | $19,175
3.60% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $19,191
3.94% | $19,625
4.51% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $20,017
4.78% | $20,502
6.52% |
|---|