Cost of Attendance
-
What is a Cost of Attendance?
The Cost of Attendance, also referred to as COA or budget, is an estimate of a student’s educational expenses for a period of enrollment. The United States Department of Education requires that all institutions utilizing Title IV funds establish a COA prior to awarding and disbursing financial aid funds.
Our COA is determined annually based on average expenses Missouri State students incur while completing their programs of study. It is important to keep in mind that the COA is not necessarily reflective of how much it will cost you to attend Missouri State. This is due to the fact that we use averages and must include all components (even those that may not apply to you) in the COA. We develop different COAs based on basic student populations (e.g., in-state undergraduate students living on- or off-campus, out-of-state undergraduate students living on- or off-campus, etc.).
Your actual costs at Missouri State will be largely determined by choices you make. Such choices include the number of hours in which you enroll, whether you live on-campus or commute from home, and what type of standard of living you choose to maintain. For example, some students may experience higher costs for housing if they choose to live on-campus than students who choose to live with their parents and commute to campus. However, these same students will also experience lower costs for transportation than those who choose to commute. When considering your actual cost, it is important to consider all these factors.
How is COA used?
The COA plays two major roles in determining the type and amount of financial aid you are awarded.
First, the COA is used to determine your financial need. For financial aid purposes, financial need is determined by subtracting your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined on the FAFSA from your COA. Financial need is how we determine your eligibility for need-based funds like Pell Grants, Access Missouri, Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Work Study, and selected others.
Second, the COA serves as the ceiling on how much financial aid you are eligible to be awarded. Federal regulations require that a student’s award package not exceed COA. For this reason, when we are developing your COA we want to make sure it is as comprehensive but accurate as possible.
What contributes to the COA?
The COA is comprised of various components including:
- Tuition & Fees
- Food & Housing
- Books & Supplies
- Transportation
- Personal Expenses
- Direct Loan Fees
Again, averages are used when calculating the COA and for this reason not all categories apply the same way to all students. For example, a student who chooses not to borrow Direct Student Loans will not have the associated loan origination fees. However, this component must be included in every student’s COA for consistency and to remain in compliance with Department of Education regulations.
Common COA Groups
As previously mentioned, we establish different COA groups based on broad categories of student. Below are breakdowns of common groups to illustrate how your 2023-2024 Academic Year COA is calculated.
Common COA Groups Student Category Tuition & Fees Food& Housing Books & Supplies Transportation Personal Expenses Loan Fees Total Undergraduate, Resident, On-Campus $9,024 $10,710 $1,200 $1,424 $3,170 $66 $25,594 Undergraduate, Resident, Off-Campus $9,024 $9,724 $1,200 $3,240 $3,170 $66 $26,424 Undergraduate, Resident, with Relative $9,024 $5,314 $1,200 $3,240 $3,170 $66 $22,014 Undergraduate, Non-Resident, On-Campus $17,928 $10,710 $1,200 $1,424 $3,170 $66 $34,498 Undergraduate, Non-Resident, Off-Campus $17,928 $9,724 $1,200 $3,240 $3,170 $66 $35,328 Graduate, Resident, On-Campus $7,476 $10,710 $800 $1,424 $3,170 $138 $23,718 Graduate, Resident, Off-Campus $7,476 $9,724 $800 $3,240 $3,170 $138 $24,548 Graduate, Non-Resident, On-Campus $13,704 $10,710 $800 $1,424 $3,170 $138 $29,946 Grad, Non-Resident, Off-Campus $13,704 $9,724 $800 $3,240 $3,170 $138 $30,776 *These 2023-2024 COA figures are subject to revision by the Missouri State University Board of Governors.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition & fees are calculated using in-state tuition rates of $279 per credit hour for 28 credit hours. Also included is the student service fee of $606 per semester for a full-time undergraduate student. These are basic amounts. You may incur additional charges based on the courses you take. Please see detailed costs and fees for more information.
Food & Housing
Food & Housing are calculated using averages of Missouri State University residence options and the 14-meal dining plan for on-campus students. Average costs for off-campus housing were calculated using a survey of community housing options and reported meal expenditures.
Beginning with the 2023-2024 award year, the unlimited meal plan will be used when determining the cost of on-campus food. This change follows new regulations established under the FAFSA Simplification Act.
Books & Supplies
Books & supplies are calculated based on figures self-reported by Missouri State undergraduate students on a cost survey. These costs can vary based on the number and type of courses taken by a student.
Transportation
Transportation costs are calculated using average weekly mileage for off-campus commuter students, average cost for a parking permit, estimated mileage to off-campus employment, etc.
Personal Expenses
Personal expenses are calculated based on average costs for items such as cell phone, medical care, personal hygiene products, etc.
Direct Loan Fees
Direct Loan fees are calculated annually based on the average loan origination fees paid by undergraduate students over the course of the previous academic year.
-
What is a Cost of Attendance?
The Cost of Attendance, also referred to as COA or budget, is an estimate of a student’s educational expenses for a period of enrollment. The United States Department of Education requires that all institutions utilizing Title IV funds establish a COA prior to awarding and disbursing financial aid funds.
Our COA is determined annually based on average expenses Missouri State students incur while completing their programs of study. It is important to keep in mind that the COA is not necessarily reflective of how much it will cost you to attend Missouri State. This is due to the fact that we use averages and must include all components (even those that may not apply to you) in the COA. We develop different COAs based on basic student populations (e.g., in-state undergraduate students living on- or off-campus, out-of-state undergraduate students living on- or off-campus, etc.).
Your actual costs at Missouri State will be largely determined by choices you make. Such choices include the number of hours in which you enroll, whether you live on-campus or commute from home, and what type of standard of living you choose to maintain. For example, some students may experience higher costs for housing if they choose to live on-campus than students who choose to live with their parents and commute to campus. However, these same students will also experience lower costs for transportation than those who choose to commute. When considering your actual cost, it is important to consider all these factors.
How is COA used?
The COA plays two major roles in determining the type and amount of financial aid you are awarded.
First, the COA is used to determine your financial need. For financial aid purposes, financial need is determined by subtracting your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined on the FAFSA from your COA. Financial need is how we determine your eligibility for need-based funds like Pell Grants, Access Missouri, Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Work Study, and selected others.
Second, the COA serves as the ceiling on how much financial aid you are eligible to be awarded. Federal regulations require that a student’s award package not exceed COA. For this reason, when we are developing your COA we want to make sure it is as comprehensive but accurate as possible.
What contributes to the COA?
The COA is comprised of various components including:
- Tuition & Fees
- Food & Housing
- Books & Supplies
- Transportation
- Personal Expenses
- Direct Loan Fees
Again, averages are used when calculating the COA and for this reason not all categories apply the same way to all students. For example, a student who chooses not to borrow Direct Student Loans will not have the associated loan origination fees. However, this component must be included in every student’s COA for consistency and to remain in compliance with Department of Education regulations.
Common COA Groups
As previously mentioned, we establish different COA groups based on broad categories of student. Below are breakdowns of common groups to illustrate how your 2024-2025 Academic Year COA is calculated.
Common COA Groups Student Category Tuition & Fees Food& Housing Books & Supplies Transportation Personal Expenses Loan Fees Total Undergraduate, Resident, On-Campus $9,502 $11,006 $1,200 $1,424 $2,500 $66 $25,698 Undergraduate, Resident, Off-Campus $9,502 $10,272 $1,200 $3,240 $2,500 $66 $26,780 Undergraduate, Resident, with Relative $9,502 $5,470 $1,200 $3,240 $2,500 $66 $21,978 Undergraduate, Non-Resident, On-Campus $18,770 $11,006 $1,200 $1,424 $2,500 $66 $34,966 Undergraduate, Non-Resident, Off-Campus $18,770 $10,272 $1,200 $3,240 $2,500 $66 $36,048 Graduate, Resident, On-Campus $8,134 $11,006 $800 $1,424 $2,500 $142 $24,076 Graduate, Resident, Off-Campus $8,134 $10,272 $800 $3,240 $2,500 $142 $25,158 Graduate, Non-Resident, On-Campus $14,990 $11,006 $800 $1,424 $2,500 $142 $30,862 Grad, Non-Resident, Off-Campus $14,990 $10,272 $800 $3,240 $2,500 $142 $31,944 *These 2024-2025 COA figures are subject to revision by the Missouri State University Board of Governors.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition & fees are calculated using in-state tuition rates of $290 per credit hour for 28 credit hours. Also included is the student service fee of $691 per semester for a full-time undergraduate student. These are basic amounts. You may incur additional charges based on the courses you take. Please see detailed costs and fees for more information.
Food & Housing
Food & Housing are calculated using averages of Missouri State University residence options. Average costs for off-campus housing were calculated using a survey of community housing options and reported meal expenditures. Student's housing costs may vary depending on the residence hall they select. Housing rates can be found online at reslife.missouristate.edu/Rates.htm.
The 2024-2025 award year utilizes the unlimited meal plan when determining the cost of on-campus food. Students selecting a different meal plan will have slightly lower costs. Meal plan and dining dollar rates can be found online at reslife.missouristate.edu/Rates.htm.
Books & Supplies
Books & supplies are calculated based on figures self-reported by Missouri State undergraduate students on a cost survey. These costs can vary based on the number and type of courses taken by a student.
Transportation
Transportation costs are calculated using average weekly mileage for off-campus commuter students, average cost for a parking permit, estimated mileage to off-campus employment, etc.
Personal Expenses
Personal expenses are calculated based on average costs for items such as cell phone, medical care, personal hygiene products, etc.
Direct Loan Fees
Direct Loan fees are calculated annually based on the average loan origination fees paid by undergraduate students over the course of the previous academic year.