Purdue room and board rates to remain flat on West Lafayette, Fort Wayne campuses for 2021-22

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University students on the West Lafayette and Fort Wayne campuses will see no increase in room and board rates for the 2021-22 academic year.

It marks the ninth consecutive year students on the West Lafayette campus will not see an increase in rates. Board rates were reduced twice – for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years – and have not subsequently increased. The total cost of room and board will be lower for 2021-22 than it was in 2012-13, bringing Purdue’s rates from second most expensive in the Big Ten to the most affordable. Coupled with a nine-year tuition freeze, the total cost to attend Purdue West Lafayette is less now than in 2012-13.

Purdue Fort Wayne has not had an average increase in its housing rate for five out of the last six years. Purdue Northwest will have an increase of 2.5% in housing rates for 2021-22. That campus has not had an average increase in its rates in four of the last six years.

Purdue’s Board of Trustees approved the rates on Friday (Dec. 4).

“Purdue continues to make affordability and accessibility top institutional priorities,” trustees chair Michael Berghoff said. “We don’t want to make room and board expense a barrier for our students and their families, so keeping the rate as low as possible – without sacrificing excellence – is the right thing to do.”

The Division of Student Life provides 14,452 beds across various price points for undergraduate and graduate students and families on or near the West Lafayette campus, a decrease of 543 available beds from the previous academic year. The difference is the result of a reduction of master leases with off-campus properties due to the additional 1,300 beds in Griffin North and Meredith South residence halls. Further reductions in available beds may become necessary in order to accommodate social distancing de-densification.

Those living in West Lafayette campus residence halls are also required to carry one of four meal plans, ranging from $2,998 to $5,398 per academic year. There also are options at Purdue University Residences apartment complexes where no meal plan is required.

At Purdue Fort Wayne, 1,204 beds are provided in one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom configurations. With increased demand for housing, the PFW campus is also leasing 31 units (124 beds) in the community to help meet demand as it is recruiting students from a broader geographical area. Rates range in price points from $4,930 to $9,876 per academic year.

Purdue Northwest provides 744 beds in two- and four-bedroom apartment-style configurations. Rates are priced $6,810 and $5,850, respectively.

The Division of Student Life is recommending flexibility in the rate-setting process to help meet temporary or permanent housing for 2021-22. Specifically, if additional off-campus housing or temporary reconfiguration of existing rooms is required to meet demand or address health and safety needs, the campus may price the new options relative to the approved pricing structure taking into consideration similar amenities and costs associated with contracting or setup.

In other action, the board gave approval to plan, finance, construct and award construction contracts to repair the approximately 24,000-square-foot iconic metal panel section of the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering roof on the West Lafayette campus. The project is scheduled to start in August 2021 and be completed in April 2022. Additionally, trustees approved a five-year contract with Ellucian to provide Banner software licenses for the Purdue West Lafayette, Purdue Northwest and Purdue Fort Wayne campuses, effective Jan. 1. Ellucian Banner is an integrated information system that manages student accounts, including admission, course registration, payments, classes, transcripts, degrees, credits completed and financial aid.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.

About Purdue West Lafayette Student Life

The Division of Student Life provides 14,452 beds across various price points and amenities on the West Lafayette campus, and all campus housing is voluntary. The system is financially self-supporting, and no state funds or general student fees are used for construction, maintenance or operations. Purdue’s residence hall network is one of the largest of any school that doesn’t require students to live on campus.

University Residences offers a package that includes furnished rooms with utilities, cable TV and wireless high-speed internet access. Meals are available 18 hours a day. Professional staff members live in residence halls to provide support to students and their communities. In addition, access to buildings is monitored, and security policies are enforced to help ensure student safety. 

Sources: Michael Berghoff, trustees@purdue.edu

Beth McCuskey, bmccuske@purdue.edu

Michael B. Cline, mbcline@purdue.edu

Rob Wynkoop, wynkoop@purdue.edu

Journalists visiting campus: Journalists should follow Protect Purdue protocols and the following guidelines:

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