Ball State Housing Costs

What is the Cost of Living at Ball State?

It is important to understand all of the costs associated with going to college so you can plan accordingly at Ball State University.

On this page you will find:

• Outline of Housing Costs
• Room & Board Trends and Total Expenses
• Meal Plans and Housing Requirements
• References

Living Expenses at Ball State

This school prices housing and dining separately. The on-campus housing cost for a typical student was $5,734 in 2026, and the cost of a typical dining plan was $6,600. Altogether, a typical student living on campus at Ball State University paid roughly $18,912 in 2026 for room, board, books and other living costs combined.

Discover housing costs for both on-campus and off-campus, as well as meals and other expenses at Ball State University.

Room & Board Over Four Years? Estimated Four-Year Cost: $80,801

Room and board is a moving target: it tends to creep up every year you are enrolled. Looking at the trend gives you a realistic picture of what you will actually spend by graduation.

Over the course of obtaining your degree, expect on-campus living costs near $80,801 for living costs.

Here is how combined on-campus room and board has moved over the last few reported years, with a projection of where it is headed, at Ball State University.

* estimated

Over the reported period, on-campus housing and dining changed about 3.3% each year. Carrying that rate forward one year puts on-campus living costs near $19,410 for room, board and essentials in year one.

Projected forward, the last year of a four-year degree runs about $21,008 for a bachelor’s degree, while a two-year (associate) student would pay around $19,925 in their second and final year.

Over the entire degree (assuming you graduate on time), the total comes to about $80,801 for a bachelor’s, while two years would run about $39,335 for two years on campus.

Do Not Ignore Yearly Increases

Housing and dining costs creep up most years, so plan on paying somewhat more each year of your degree.

More Details on Living and Dining On Campus at Ball State

Dining plans vary from school to school. Here, plans are structured around a set number of meals per week — see the maximum plan in the table below. For details on living on campus, including capacity, see the table below.

Find Out More About Ball State University

References

• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• National Center for Education Statistics
• Image Credit: By Travisleehardin under License More about our data sources and methodologies.