Macalester Housing Costs

$1,680 Other Living Expenses Typical Cost

What is the Cost of Living at Macalester?

Make the best college choice by understanding the true cost of college. Start by understanding the yearly costs at Macalester College.

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 Macalester

Housing and meal plans are priced out separately here. The standard student paid $8,304 in 2026, with the price of an average meal plan at $7,456. When you add it all up, an on-campus student at Macalester College budgeted around $20,537 in 2026 after factoring in housing, meals, books and other essentials.

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

Expense	On Campus
Room and Board	$18,030
— Housing	$8,304
— Meals	$7,456
Other Living Expenses	$1,680
Books and Supplies	$827
Total	$20,537

The Projected Cost of Living On Campus? Four-Year Forecast: $95,066

Housing and dining costs rarely hold still from one year to the next. Looking at the trend gives you a realistic picture of what you will actually spend by graduation.

At the projected rate, four years of on-campus living costs would total roughly $95,066 in room, board and other essentials.

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

Year	Room & Board
Three Years Ago	$15,012
Two Years Ago	$15,547
One Year Ago	$17,157
Most Recent Year (2026)	$18,030
One Year From Now *	$19,238
Two Years From Now *	$20,527
Three Years From Now *	$21,903
Four Years From Now *	$23,370

* estimated

Year over year, room and board rose an average of 6.7% a year over the last three years. If that pace holds, room and board would land around $21,745 for room, board and essentials in year one.

At this pace, a senior would spend approximately $25,877 in year four — and a two-year student about $23,034 for the last year of an associate degree.

Across all four years, on-campus living costs would total approximately $95,066 for four years, or about $44,779 for a two-year stay.

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.

Living and Dining on Campus at Macalester

Not all meal plans work the same way. This school structures its plans by meals per week, and the table below lists the largest plan offered. The table below outlines what this school reports about on-campus housing.