There are 19 colleges in Delaware - 6 public and 13 private schools. At Delaware colleges, rising college costs are evident in the Cost of Attendance (COA), which combines tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and personal living expenses; this figure has grown significantly in the last decade.
Delaware Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Delaware colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 17.15%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 17.28%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $39,190 when living on campus and $38,856 when living off campus.
Delaware 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 |
10.14% (from $7,860 to $8,657) |
$8,657 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
2.08% (from $18,613 to $19,000) |
$19,000 |
| Private Colleges |
-22.76% (from $17,906 to $13,830) |
$13,830 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 2.08%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by -11.15% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Delaware colleges, living costs increased by 38.88% for on-campus and 39.76% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $18,574 (on-campus) and $18,240 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (10.16%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,616.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 17.15% when living on campus and 17.28% when living off campus at Delaware Colleges.
In private Delaware Colleges, the COA has increase by 3.89% (on-campus) and 3.89% (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 $39,190 when a student lives on campus and $38,856 when living off campus at Delaware Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Delaware Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Delaware Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$22,701 | $33,454 | $32,747 | $22,378 | $33,131 | $32,424 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$22,850
0.66% | $33,872
1.25% | $33,354
1.85% | $22,428
0.22% | $33,450
0.96% | $32,932
1.57% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$23,545
3.04% | $34,960
3.21% | $34,034
2.04% | $22,867
1.96% | $34,282
2.49% | $33,356
1.29% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$23,255
-1.23% | $33,225
-4.96% | $34,532
1.46% | $22,198
-2.93% | $32,168
-6.17% | $33,475
0.36% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$24,078
3.54% | $34,289
3.20% | $35,410
2.54% | $22,687
2.20% | $32,898
2.27% | $34,019
1.63% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$23,853
-0.93% | $34,241
-0.14% | $35,293
-0.33% | $22,597
-0.40% | $32,985
0.26% | $34,037
0.05% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$23,988
0.57% | $34,462
0.65% | $28,566
-19.06% | $22,253
-1.52% | $32,727
-0.78% | $26,831
-21.17% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$25,154
4.86% | $35,760
3.77% | $30,298
6.06% | $22,675
1.90% | $33,281
1.69% | $27,819
3.68% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$27,199
8.13% | $38,032
6.35% | $32,171
6.18% | $25,250
11.36% | $36,083
8.42% | $30,222
8.64% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$28,847
6.06% | $39,190
3.04% | $34,020
5.75% | $28,513
12.92% | $38,856
7.69% | $33,686
11.46% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Delaware Colleges is $9,949 for Delaware residents and $20,292 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $13,965.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $15,450 for Delaware residents and $19,635 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $12,118.
The tuition & fees has increased 2.08% for undergraduate programs at Delaware Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Delaware Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$7,860 | $18,613 | $17,906 | $18,217 | $21,265 | $12,809 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$8,046
2.37% | $19,068
2.44% | $18,550
3.60% | $18,631
2.27% | $21,739
2.23% | $13,177
2.87% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$8,336
3.60% | $19,751
3.58% | $18,825
1.48% | $19,081
2.42% | $22,189
2.07% | $13,979
6.09% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$7,609
-8.72% | $17,579
-11.00% | $18,886
0.32% | $19,594
2.69% | $22,702
2.31% | $13,595
-2.75% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$7,850
3.17% | $18,061
2.74% | $19,182
1.57% | $20,233
3.26% | $23,341
2.81% | $13,781
1.37% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$8,054
2.60% | $18,442
2.11% | $19,494
1.63% | $20,351
0.58% | $23,459
0.51% | $14,235
3.29% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$8,140
1.07% | $18,614
0.93% | $12,718
-34.76% | $11,819
-41.92% | $14,927
-36.37% | $13,652
-4.10% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$7,721
-5.15% | $18,327
-1.54% | $12,865
1.16% | $5,510
-53.38% | $15,195
1.80% | $12,404
-9.14% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$8,258
6.96% | $19,091
4.17% | $13,230
2.84% | $8,160
48.09% | $17,261
13.60% | $12,602
1.60% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$8,657
4.83% | $19,000
-0.48% | $13,830
4.54% | $14,709
80.26% | $18,894
9.46% | $11,990
-4.86% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,616 for Delaware Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Delaware Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,467 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,507
2.73% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,535
1.86% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,542
0.46% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,554
0.78% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,550
-0.26% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,494
-3.61% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,439
-3.68% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,527
6.12% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,616
5.83% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Delaware Colleges, the living have increased 35.91% when a student lives on campus facilities and 40.94% 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 Delaware Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $13,374 | $13,765 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $13,297
1.86% | $13,703
0.80% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $13,674
3.31% | $14,066
1.07% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $14,104
2.15% | $14,478
-1.34% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $14,674
3.69% | $14,920
2.08% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $14,249
6.38% | $15,090
2.73% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $14,354
1.87% | $15,338
-3.95% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $15,994
7.92% | $16,440
8.02% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $17,414
6.01% | $17,243
18.74% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $18,574
7.15% | $18,564
19.97% |
|---|