Carnegie Mellon University

Cost of Attendance & Financial Aid Scenarios for 2020-2021

Carnegie Mellon recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many undergraduate students and families, including their plans for the upcoming academic year. Changes involving living situations may affect a student's cost of attendance and financial aid eligibility; therefore, it is important to keep your HUB liaison informed of your unique situation.

Cost of attendance (COA) serves as the foundation for financial aid packaging, and we are hoping that the following scenarios will provide reasonable estimates for your individual circumstances.

Under regular circumstances, most first-year students have housing contracts and are required to live on campus for the entire year. Since the university cannot accommodate all first-year students this fall and spring, some will need to make other living arrangements for one of the two semesters. This example estimates costs for a student living at home in the fall and on-campus in the spring.

COST OF ATTENDANCE

Of note, the cost of attendance only includes a housing allowance and transportation fee* for the spring semester:

FALL 2020

SPRING 2021

TOTAL

Tuition

$28,780 $28,780 $57,560
Orientation Fee (first-year students only) 325 0 325

Activity Fee

101 95 196
Transportation Fee* 0 122 122

Media Fee

0 0 0
Technology Fee 220 220 440

Room (average)

0 4,605 4,605
Dining (average) 3,170 3,170 6,340

Books/Supplies & Miscellaneous

1,200 1,200 2,400

TOTALS

$33,796

$38,192 $72,008

*Assumes the student is living in a city other than Pittsburgh. If living in Pittsburgh, the transportation fee would apply to both semesters. 

FINANCIAL AID IMPLICATIONS

Since the total cost of attendance of $72,008 would be less than the originally published cost of $76,735, the student’s billable charges and financial need would decrease as well. Please note that such adjustments may likely result in a balance due on the student account; as financial need decreases, out-of-pocket costs will increase. If a change in financial need results in a revised financial aid award, the student will receive an email notification with a link to their revised financial aid award letter. 

Some students may elect to live off-campus as a dependent (with parents/guardians/family) for the entire academic year. This example estimates costs for a student living with parents in a city other than Pittsburgh for the entire year.

COST OF ATTENDANCE

Of note, the cost of attendance does not include a housing allowance or transportation fee* for either semester since the student is living with family outside of Pittsburgh.

FALL 2020

SPRING 2021

TOTAL

Tuition

$28,780 $28,780 $57,560
Orientation Fee (first-year students only)  325 0 325

Activity Fee 

101 95 196
Transportation Fee* 0 0 0

Media Fee 

0 0 0
Technology Fee 220 220 440

Room (average)

0 0 0
Dining (average) 3,170 3,170 6,340

Books/Supplies & Miscellaneous  

1,200 1,200 2,400

TOTALS

$33,796 (first-year students)

$33,471 (upperclass students)

$33,465

$67,261 (first-year students)

$66,942 (upperclass students)

*Assumes the student is living in a city other than Pittsburgh. If living in Pittsburgh, the transportation fee would apply to both semesters.

FINANCIAL AID IMPLICATIONS

Since the total cost of attendance of $67,261 / $66,942 would be less than the originally published cost of $76,715 / $76,396, the student’s billable charges and financial need would decrease as well.

Upperclass students who have a current housing contract will be offered housing for at least one semester. This example estimates costs for a student living on-campus in the fall and then at home with family outside of Pittsburgh during the spring semester.

COST OF ATTENDANCE

Of note, the cost of attendance does not include a housing allowance or transportation fee* in the spring semester since the student is living with family outside of Pittsburgh.

FALL 2020

SPRING 2021

TOTAL

Tuition

$28,780 $28,780 $57,560
Orientation Fee (first-year students only)  0 0 0

Activity Fee 

101 95 196
Transportation Fee* 122 0 122

Media Fee 

0 0 0
Technology Fee 220 220 440

Room (average)

4,605 0 4,605
Dining (average) 3,170 3,170 6,340

Books/Supplies & Miscellaneous  

1,200 1,200 2,400

TOTALS

$38,198

$33,465 $71,663

*Assumes the student is living in a city other than Pittsburgh. If living in Pittsburgh, the transportation fee would apply to both semesters.

FINANCIAL AID IMPLICATIONS

Since the total cost of attendance of $71,663 would be less than the originally published cost of $76,390, the student’s billable charges and financial need would decrease as well. Please note that such adjustments may likely result in a balance due on the student account; as financial need decreases, out-of-pocket costs will increase. If a change in financial need results in a revised financial aid award, the student will receive an email notification with a link to their revised financial aid award letter. 

Upperclass students who have a current housing contract will be offered housing for at least one semester. This example estimates costs for a student living on-campus in the fall and then off-campus in Pittsburgh during the spring semester.

COST OF ATTENDANCE

Of note, this cost of attendance has a housing and dining allowance equal to the cost of attendance figures for housing and dining for those students living on-campus in CMU residence halls.

Equalizing the on- and off-campus (living independently) cost of attendance will allow for a smoother transition for students whose fall semester living situation may be different than their spring semester; for students receiving financial aid, the benefit is that such a change in housing/living circumstances will not require an adjustment to financial aid.

A transportation fee* is included for both semesters.

FALL 2020

SPRING 2021

TOTAL

Tuition

$28,780 $28,780 $57,560
Orientation Fee (first-year students only)  0 0 0

Activity Fee 

101 95 196
Transportation Fee * 122 122 244

Media Fee 

0 0 50
Technology Fee 220 220 440

Room (average)

4,605 4,605 9,210
Dining (average) 3,170 3,170 6,340

Books/Supplies & Miscellaneous  

1,200 1,200 2,400

TOTALS

$38,198

$38,192 $76,390

*Assumes the student is living in Pittsburgh the entire year. If living in a city other than Pittsburgh for the second semester, the transportation fee would not apply.

FINANCIAL AID IMPLICATIONS

Since the total cost of attendance of $76,390 would only be slightly more than the originally published cost of $76,164, the student’s financial need may increase as well, while billable charges will decrease due to lower fees in the fall semester and no housing charges in the spring.

Upperclass students who do not have a current housing contract most likely will live off-campus independently in Pittsburgh or elsewhere. This example estimates costs for a student living off-campus in Pittsburgh for both semesters.

COST OF ATTENDANCE

Of note, this cost of attendance has a housing and dining allowance equal to the cost of attendance figures for housing and dining for those students living on-campus in CMU residence halls.

Equalizing the on- and off-campus (living independently) cost of attendance will allow for a smoother transition for students whose fall semester living situation may be different than their spring semester; for students receiving financial aid, the benefit is that such a change in housing/living circumstances will not require an adjustment to financial aid.

A transportation fee* is included for both semesters.

FALL 2020

SPRING 2021

TOTAL

Tuition

$28,780 $28,780 $57,560
Orientation Fee (first-year students only) 0 0 0

Activity Fee

101 95 196
Transportation Fee* 122 122 244

Media Fee

0 0 0
Technology Fee 220 220 440

Room (average)

4,605 4,605 9,210
Dining (average) 3,170 3,170 6,340

Books/Supplies & Miscellaneous

1,200 1,200 2,400

TOTALS

$38,198

$38,192 $76,390

*Assumes the student is living in Pittsburgh the entire year. If living in a city other than Pittsburgh, the transportation fee would not apply for those semesters.

FINANCIAL AID IMPLICATIONS

Since the total cost of attendance of $76,390 would only be slightly more than the originally published cost of $76,164, the student’s financial need may increase as well, while billable charges will decrease slightly due to lower fees in the fall semester.