The cost of attendance (COA), also known as the student’s budget, is used to determine aid eligibility. The COA includes the direct cost for tuition and fees, an allowance for housing & food, books & supplies and personal expenses.
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2023-24
Below is the cost of attendance for the 2023-24 academic year.
| Cost |
On Campus
(residence halls/CCA) |
Off Campus
(renting) |
At Home
(with family) |
| Tuition |
$62,392 |
$62,392 |
$62,392 |
| Fees |
$300 |
$300 |
$300 |
| Housing & Food* |
$21,374 |
$16,432 |
$10,124 |
| Books & Supplies |
$1,100 |
$1,100 |
$1,100 |
| Personal Expenses |
$1,300 |
$1,300 |
$1,300 |
| Average Loan Fees** |
$50 |
$50 |
$50 |
| Total |
$86,516 |
$81,574 |
$75,266 |
*See Housing & Food below
**See Average Loan Fees below
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2024-25
Below is the cost of attendance for the 2024-25 academic year.
| Cost |
On Campus
(residence halls/CCA) |
Off Campus
(renting) |
At Home
(with family) |
| Tuition |
$64,888 |
$64,888 |
$64,888 |
| Fees |
$304 |
$304 |
$304 |
| Housing & Food* |
$22,150 |
$17,314 |
$11,492 |
| Books & Supplies |
$1,100 |
$1,100 |
$1,100 |
| Personal Expenses |
$1,300 |
$1,300 |
$1,300 |
| Average Loan Fees** |
$50 |
$50 |
$50 |
| Total |
$89,792 |
$84,956 |
$79,134 |
*See Housing & Food below
**See Average Loan Fees below
Billing Information
The Student Accounts Office is responsible for billing. Fall 2024 bills will be available through CASHNet starting the week of August 1 (with payment due by August 20). Students on aid who submitted all documents on-time will see ‘estimated financial assistance’ listed at the bottom of their pdf billing statement (not on their account activity).
Tuition & Fees
The Student Accounts Office publishes a comprehensive list of all costs and charges, including different meal plans, on the Tuition & Fees section of their website. Visit their website for 2023-24 costs and 2024-25 costs.
Housing & Food
A student’s housing status impacts the housing & food budget used to determine their financial aid eligibility. Visit Housing & Food Budgets on our website for additional details about the different housing & food budgets.
Starting in the 2023-24 academic year, the on-campus housing & food budget will include the cost of the universal room rate and the 19-meal plan. This change is to comply with new federal regulations meant to address food insecurity. Students living on-campus may choose between the 12-, 14-, 16-, or 19-meal plan. While the 19-meal plan is not required, it is encouraged to support food needs. Aid will not be decreased for students who select a lower cost meal plan.
Average Loan Fees
All Federal Direct Loans are assessed an origination fee by the federal government. This fee is deducted from the loan before the borrower receives the money; therefore, the loan funds received by the borrower will be less than the amount they borrow.
The cost of attendance includes the average origination fee for the Subsidized Direct Loan program. Students who accept their Subsidized Direct Loan will have their cost of attendance increased by this average and will receive additional grant assistance to make-up for this fee. The Office of Financial Aid will update aid packages for this fee in late September.
Travel Allowance
In addition to the above costs, all domestic student budgets include a yearly transportation allowance that ranges from $100 – $1,000 (or $50 – $500/semester) depending on the student’s state of residence. In addition, students who reside off campus or at home receive an additional $450/year (or $225/semester) to assist with commuting costs to and from Pitzer.
Course Fees
Students with academic course fees may have their course fees included in their budget and covered with a course fee scholarship. Academic course fees and course fee scholarships are assessed after Census, the 10th day of the semester, when enrollment is “locked”. Please note, financial aid does not cover physical education fees.
Laptops
Domestic students who need financial assistance to purchase a computer may borrow federal loans and have their student budget increased by a maximum of $2,000 to purchase a laptop. Loan funds are only available if the student has remaining loan eligibility; most students will be able to borrow an Unsubsidized Loan, if necessary, to cover the cost of a laptop. All loan funds are paid to the student’s Pitzer account balance first. If there is a remaining credit after the loan is paid, the student can request a refund and use those funds for the purchase of a computer. For additional information, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.
Health Insurance
All enrolled Pitzer students are required to have health insurance that comprehensively covers them in the State of California and Nationwide. Students are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) through Pitzer but may waive out if they can provide proof of comparable coverage. Please visit the SHIP website for additional details.
The health insurance cost is not part of the standard student’s budget. Students who cannot waive out of SHIP should contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss the options available to them for meeting this cost.
The cost of SHIP for the 2023-24 academic year is $2,996. The cost of SHIP for the 2024-25 academic year is currently unknown.
Miscellaneous
The Office of Financial Aid does not cover other miscellaneous charges that may appear on the student’s account, such as but not limited to: vehicle registration fees, payment plan fees, course overload fees, health services fees, fines or citations.
