SIUC Housing Costs

$6,756 On-Campus Room Typical Cost

$4,504 On-Campus Meals Typical Cost

$1,100 Books & Supplies Typical Cost

$2,951 Other Living Expenses Typical Cost

Living Expenses and How They Compare at SIUC?

Room, board, and other expenses can add up to a significant amount. How much does this school charge for these necessities at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

On this page you will find:

Living Expenses Outline
Room & Board Trends and Total Expenses
Meal Plans and Housing Requirements
References

Living Expenses at SIUC

Housing and meal plans are priced out separately here. The standard student paid $6,756 in 2026, and the cost of a typical dining plan was $4,504. Altogether, a typical student living on campus at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale paid roughly $19,343 in 2026 in total yearly living costs beyond tuition.

The table below shows the expected costs of on-campus and off-campus housing and dining plans for Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Expense	On Campus	Off Campus
Room and Board	$15,292	$15,763
— Housing	$6,756
— Meals	$4,504
Other Living Expenses	$2,951	$2,951
Books and Supplies	$1,100	$1,100
Total	$19,343	$19,814

Room & Board Over Four Years? Projected Four-Year Cost: $84,150

Like tuition, room and board usually rises a little each year. Projecting the trend helps you plan for all four years instead of only the first.

Carried across a typical four-year degree, room, board and other living costs add up to about $84,150 in housing, food and other expenses.

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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Year	Room & Board
Three Years Ago	$13,563
Two Years Ago	$13,573
One Year Ago	$15,065
Most Recent Year (2026)	$15,292
One Year From Now *	$15,941
Two Years From Now *	$16,619
Three Years From Now *	$17,325
Four Years From Now *	$18,061

* estimated

Over the reported period, on-campus housing and dining changed about 4.2% annually. If that pace holds, room and board would land around $19,992 in their first year.

Continuing the same trend, the final-year cost would be roughly $22,112 for a four-year (bachelor’s) degree, and about $20,670 by the end of a two-year program.

For a full bachelor’s degree, expect to spend a total of around $84,150 for four years, or about $40,662 over a two-year associate program.

Plan for Cost Creep

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

Details on Your Campus Living Situation and Meal Plan at SIUC

Meal plan structures vary widely. At this school, the maximum meal plan covers a fixed number of meals per week, shown in the table below. Wondering whether you may be required to live on campus? See the table below for on-campus housing details.