Purdue trustees approve 2025-26 housing and dining rates with a continued focus on affordability, flexibility and sustainability

INDIANAPOLIS — Recognizing the continued strong demand for affordable, on-campus room and board, the Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday (Oct. 4) approved housing and dining rates for the 2025-26 academic year.

Trustees approved a tiered increase in housing rates, with 79% of beds increasing by less than $50 per month. Rate increases allow for continued reinvestment in student support, enhanced facilities and common spaces, residence hall wireless internet upgrades, and sustainable increases in future capacity.

Purdue’s rates remain the most affordable by a significant margin among Big Ten universities in 2025-26, as compared to 2012, when its rates were the second-most expensive in the conference. With Purdue’s predominant room and board rate increasing substantially less than that of Big Ten peers over the last decade, Purdue students have saved over $476 million relative to the conference.

New housing capacity — contributing to a 35% increase in the number of on-campus beds since 2013 — will be available in the next two years: Third and McCormick (984 beds) in fall 2025 and the hall south of Hillenbrand Residence Hall (896 beds) in fall 2026.

Meanwhile, meal plans will continue to reflect simplicity and flexibility, as well as affordability. With an annual price ranging from $1,760-$5,894 (a 3.5% increase of $60-$199), 2025-26 rates will continue to remain below the Big Ten average for comparable plans, and students can select a plan that fits their needs and budget.

Housing rates and meal plans will be communicated directly to students via various communication channels, as those details align with their future residency in University Residences.

Furthermore, the housing reapplication process for 2025-26 is being revised based on co-design with student representatives, who have provided student feedback for new housing selection methods, and will be communicated later this month.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.