Trustees approve 2027-28 housing and dining rates

INDIANAPOLIS — Recognizing the continued strong demand for affordable on-campus housing, the Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday (Oct. 9) approved housing and dining rates for the 2027-28 academic year.

Trustees approved a modest, tiered increase in housing rates, with nearly 80% of beds increasing by less than $300 (3.2%) for the academic year. The new rates allow for inflationary cost increases, reinvestment in housing assets and sustainable increases in future capacity.

Purdue’s room and board rates will remain the most affordable by a significant margin among Big Ten universities in 2027-28 as compared to 2012, when its rates were the second-most expensive in the conference.

To accommodate the strong demand for a Boilermaker education while expanding options for on-campus residences, Purdue opened the eight-story, 252,500-square-foot South Hall in August. That new residence hall, combined with the August 2025 opening of the 3rd & West apartment complex, added 1,900 beds to the university’s West Lafayette housing capacity. Additionally, the forthcoming Academic Success Building in Indianapolis will include 520 beds beginning in fall 2027.

On-campus housing demand is driven by positive student experience, plus affordable price points and location, compared to off-campus options. In addition, over the last 10 years, the spring cumulative grade-point average for West Lafayette undergraduate students living on campus through University Residences is higher than those living off campus — an average of 5.5% higher across all classifications of students. And the first-to-second-year student retention rate for 2025-26 was 93.5% for West Lafayette and Indianapolis students living on campus, significantly higher than the 83.3% rate for those living off campus.

Meal plans will continue to focus on affordability, simplicity and flexibility. With an annual price increase of 3.4%, 2027-28 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.

In other action, trustees approved:

• A 10-year contract with Chartwells to operate dining services at the Academic Success Building in Indianapolis starting in the 2027-28 academic year. The dining hall is planned to be available to the facility’s residents; campus students, faculty and staff; and the public. University meal plans and cash/credit will be accepted. Five flexible, buffet-style food stations will be offered with a variety of rotating diverse menu options. Chartwells will also manage catering and retail operations within the Academic Success Building, including a café, 24/7 convenience store/market and team store.

• The leasing of 3rd & West for the 2027-28 through 2029-30 academic years. The university will lease all 401 apartments (984 beds) at the intersection of Third Street and McCormick Road in West Lafayette. The lease aligns with the 2018 Giant Leaps Campus Master Plan to provide additional near-term student housing capacity.

• The donation of 1.685 acres from Purdue to Jennings County, Indiana. The land, which the state originally gifted to the university in the 1970s to use for educational purposes, is currently part of the Southeast Purdue Agricultural Center. The donation will allow for the existing cemetery, adjacent to the Butlerville Cemetery, to be operated by the Butlerville Cemetery Association.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a research institution ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States. More than 111,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. As a land-grant university committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free.