Harvard Housing Costs

How Do Housing Costs Compare at Harvard?

Make the best college choice by understanding the true cost of college. Start by understanding the yearly costs at Harvard University.

On this page you will find:

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

Room and Board Expenses at Harvard

Housing and meal plans are priced out separately here. The standard student paid $12,922 in 2026, and the cost of a typical dining plan was $8,268. When you add it all up, a student living on campus at Harvard University budgeted around $33,894 in 2026 for room, board, books and other living costs combined.

Get an idea of what the costs will be for on-campus housing, meals and other expenses at Harvard University.

Will You Spend Four Years On Campus? Projected Four-Year Total: $142,303

Like tuition, room and board usually rises a little each year. Knowing where it is headed helps you budget for the full degree, not just year one.

Over the course of obtaining your degree, expect on-campus living costs near $142,303 by the time you graduate.

Below is how room and board has changed across recent reported years — and where current trends point — at Harvard University.

* estimated

Room and board changed an average of 2.5% annually. Carrying that rate forward one year puts on-campus living costs near $34,550 for room, board and essentials in year one.

Continuing the same trend, the final-year cost would be roughly $36,618 for a bachelor’s program; a two-year student would see about $35,223 for the last year of an associate degree.

Over the entire degree (assuming you graduate on time), the total comes to about $142,303 for a four-year degree, versus about $69,773 over a two-year associate program.

Budget for Annual Increases

Most schools raise housing and dining costs gradually each year, so today’s figure is unlikely to be what you pay all four years.

Answers to Questions About Living and Dining at Harvard

The table below outlines what this school reports about on-campus housing.

Find Out More About Harvard University

References

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