Tuition Comparison Between Best Public Affairs Schools

Total CostsUndergraduateGraduateLiving Costs

Cost of Attendance (COA)

The following table compares the 2025 costs of attendance between best Public Affairs schools. For state residents, the average COA is $35,046 when living on campus and $34,556 when living off campus. For out-of-state students, the average COA is $74,806 when living on campus and $74,316 when living off campus. The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board costs, and other living expenses.

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2025 Cost Of Attendance Comparison Between Best Public Affairs Schools
	Rank	Name	Tuition & Fees		Books & Supplies	Living Costs
	Rank	Name	In-State	Out-of-State	Books & Supplies	On-Campus	Off-Campus
	1	Indiana University-Bloomington	$12,144	$41,891	$1,250	$17,208	$17,208
	2	Syracuse University	$65,528		$1,753	$21,212	$21,212
	3	Harvard University	$61,676		$1,000	$26,639	-
	4	University of California-Berkeley	$15,377	$47,265	$1,131	$30,781	$26,247
	5	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	$18,848	$63,081	$1,158	$18,038	$18,038
	6	University of Southern California	$71,647		$1,200	$21,937	$21,937
	6	University of Georgia	$11,450	$31,688	$934	$16,488	$16,020
	6	University of Chicago	$69,324		$1,800	$22,509	-
	9	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	$12,973	$43,209	$900	$21,432	$21,432
	9	American University	$58,771		$1,000	$19,600	$22,602
	9	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	$12,223	$33,139	$1,320	$20,632	$20,042
	12	Georgetown University	$68,089		$1,200	$23,346	-
	13	George Washington University	$67,710		$1,450	$18,620	$18,620
	14	New York University	$62,796		$1,442	$27,824	$27,824
	15	Princeton University	$62,688		$1,050	$24,150	-
	16	University of California-Los Angeles	$14,233	$46,121	$1,641	$25,146	$26,183
	17	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	$17,214	$38,362	$1,000	$16,206	$18,030
	18	The University of Texas at Austin	$11,688	$44,908	$724	$20,034	$20,170
	19	Carnegie Mellon University	$65,636		$1,000	$19,566	$18,436
	20	Ohio State University-Main Campus	$13,244	$40,022	$1,030	$17,808	$17,108
	21	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	$8,994	$41,203	$1,290	$16,736	$16,736
	22	Columbia University in the City of New York	$70,517		$1,440	$19,088	$21,354
	23	Duke University	$68,758		$536	$21,402	-
	24	Georgia State University	$8,664	$24,840	$2,000	$18,502	$23,042
	25	University of Kansas	$12,102	$30,432	$1,224	$15,482	$14,268
Average			$13,012	$52,772	$1,219	$20,815	$20,325

Undergraduate Tuition & Fees

The following table compares 2024-2025 undergraduate tuition & fees between best Public Affairs schools. The average undergraduate tuition & fees is $13,012 for in-state students and $52,772 for out-of-state students. The 2024-2025 undergraduate tuition & fees of best Public Affairs schools are increased by 4.30% compared to the previous year.

Among the best Public Affairs schools, University of Southern California requires the most expensive tuition & fees of $69,904 and Georgia State University has the lowest tuition & fees of $23,520 for undergraduate programs.

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Undergraduate Tuition & Fess Comparison Between Best Public Affairs Schools
	Rank	Name	2023-2024		2024-2025
	Rank	Name	In-State	Out-of-State	In-State	Out-of-State
	1	Indiana University-Bloomington	$11,790	$40,482	$12,144	$41,891
	2	Syracuse University	$63,061		$65,528
	3	Harvard University	$59,076		$61,676
	4	University of California-Berkeley	$14,850	$45,627	$15,377	$47,265
	5	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	$18,309	$60,107	$18,848	$63,081
	6	University of Southern California	$68,237		$71,647
	6	University of Georgia	$11,180	$30,220	$11,450	$31,688
	6	University of Chicago	$65,619		$69,324
	9	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	$12,643	$41,997	$12,973	$43,209
	9	American University	$56,543		$58,771
	9	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	$12,051	$32,193	$12,223	$33,139
	12	Georgetown University	$65,081		$68,089
	13	George Washington University	$64,798		$67,710
	14	New York University	$60,438		$62,796
	15	Princeton University	$59,710		$62,688
	16	University of California-Los Angeles	$13,747	$44,524	$14,233	$46,121
	17	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	$16,488	$36,402	$17,214	$38,362
	18	The University of Texas at Austin	$11,678	$42,778	$11,688	$44,908
	19	Carnegie Mellon University	$63,274		$65,636
	20	Ohio State University-Main Campus	$12,859	$38,365	$13,244	$40,022
	21	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	$8,989	$39,330	$8,994	$41,203
	22	Columbia University in the City of New York	$68,171		$70,517
	23	Duke University	$65,805		$68,758
	24	Georgia State University	$8,478	$23,709	$8,664	$24,840
	25	University of Kansas	$11,700	$29,412	$12,102	$30,432
Average			$12,674	$50,598	$13,012	$52,772

Graduate Tuition & Fees

The following table compares 2024-2025 graduate tuition & fees between best Public Affairs schools. The average graduate tuition & fees is $15,052 for state residents and $43,561 for out-of-state students. The 2024-2025 graduate tuition & fees of best Public Affairs schools are increased by 3.89% compared to the previous year.

Among the best Public Affairs schools, University of Southern California requires the most expensive graduate tuition & fees of $69,904 and The University of Texas at Austin has the lowest graduate tuition & fees of $22,954.

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Graduate Tuition & Fess Comparison Between Best Public Affairs Schools
	Rank	Name	2023-2024		2024-2025
	Rank	Name	In-State	Out-of-State	In-State	Out-of-State
	1	Indiana University-Bloomington	$11,611	$33,410	$11,756	$33,454
	2	Syracuse University	$46,318		$48,132
	3	Harvard University	$55,440		$57,248
	4	University of California-Berkeley	$15,261	$30,363	$15,866	$30,968
	5	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	$27,524	$55,052	$28,886	$57,776
	6	University of Southern California	$68,128		$71,515
	6	University of Georgia	$10,268	$26,576	$11,002	$29,774
	6	University of Chicago	$66,543		$68,652
	9	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	$18,633	$32,511	$18,792	$32,811
	9	American University	$33,239		$36,754
	9	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	$13,389	$26,735	$13,587	$27,521
	12	Georgetown University	$59,306		$61,670
	13	George Washington University	$35,154		$36,414
	14	New York University	$41,124		$42,726
	15	Princeton University	$62,860		$65,936
	16	University of California-Los Angeles	$13,883	$28,985	$14,476	$29,578
	17	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	$21,091	$31,555	$22,017	$33,249
	18	The University of Texas at Austin	$12,012	$22,954	$12,006	$22,954
	19	Carnegie Mellon University	$49,450		$50,975
	20	Ohio State University-Main Campus	$13,497	$41,227	$13,901	$42,740
	21	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	$12,527	$30,819	$12,751	$31,408
	22	Columbia University in the City of New York	$56,279		$57,973
	23	Duke University	$63,985		$66,523
	24	Georgia State University	$8,484	$23,982	$8,664	$25,116
	25	University of Kansas	$11,574	$26,236	$11,971	$27,146
Average			$14,596	$41,929	$15,052	$43,561

Room & Board, Other Living Expenses

The following table compares living costs including room, board, and other expenses between best Public Affairs schools. Each cost is in average and may vary by room types, meal plan, and other living styles. For academic year 2024-2025, the average living costs of best Public Affairs schools is $20,815 when a student lives on campus and $20,325 when living off campus.

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Living Costs Comparison Between Best Public Affairs Schools
	Rank	Name	On-Campus		Off-Campus
	Rank	Name	Room & Board	Other Expenses	Room & Board	Other Expenses	Other Expenses (living with family)
	1	Indiana University-Bloomington	$13,984	$3,224	$13,984	$3,224	$4,736
	2	Syracuse University	$19,188	$2,024	$19,188	$2,024	$2,024
	3	Harvard University	$21,190	$5,449	-	-	-
	4	University of California-Berkeley	$23,750	$7,031	$18,721	$7,526	$9,013
	5	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	$15,328	$2,710	$15,328	$2,710	$2,710
	6	University of Southern California	$19,931	$2,006	$19,931	$2,006	$3,920
	6	University of Georgia	$11,672	$4,816	$10,194	$5,826	$5,826
	6	University of Chicago	$20,109	$2,400	-	-	-
	9	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	$18,405	$3,027	$18,405	$3,027	$3,297
	9	American University	$17,982	$1,618	$19,336	$3,266	$2,438
	9	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	$16,712	$3,920	$14,839	$5,203	$5,203
	12	Georgetown University	$20,596	$2,750	-	-	-
	13	George Washington University	$16,920	$1,700	$16,920	$1,700	$1,700
	14	New York University	$23,530	$4,294	$23,530	$4,294	$3,140
	15	Princeton University	$20,250	$3,900	-	-	-
	16	University of California-Los Angeles	$18,369	$6,777	$18,610	$7,573	$8,759
	17	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	$13,856	$2,350	$15,680	$2,350	$2,350
	18	The University of Texas at Austin	$14,828	$5,206	$14,964	$5,206	$5,206
	19	Carnegie Mellon University	$18,166	$1,400	$16,356	$2,080	$2,080
	20	Ohio State University-Main Campus	$14,738	$3,070	$13,814	$3,294	$6,090
	21	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	$13,804	$2,932	$13,804	$2,932	$2,932
	22	Columbia University in the City of New York	$17,580	$1,508	$18,802	$2,552	$2,552
	23	Duke University	$18,128	$3,274	-	-	-
	24	Georgia State University	$13,392	$5,110	$16,002	$7,040	$7,040
	25	University of Kansas	$11,358	$4,124	$10,144	$4,124	$4,124
Average			$17,351	$3,465	$16,428	$3,898	$4,257

The ranking data is provided by CollegeEvaluator.