Cost of attendance
Cost of attendance (COA) is the estimated cost of a student’s educational expenses for a period of enrollment. The estimate is used to determine financial aid. It generally includes tuition and fees, housing and food, books and supplies, personal expenses and transportation costs.
The amounts listed on this page are intended to help you plan your budget, however your actual expenses will vary depending on your circumstances. The amounts are based on a student being enrolled full time during each semester of the academic year. For Columbia College undergraduate students, this is defined as a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. For graduate students, the minimum is 6 credit hours per semester.
Use our Net Price Calculators to calculate an estimate of your college costs.
2022-2023 costs
Undergraduate students are categorized in two ways:
- Students earning an associate or bachelor’s degree online or at a venue nationwide, including evening classes in Columbia, MO
- Students earning an associate or bachelor’s degree on our traditional campus in Columbia, MO
Online, nationwide, evening full-time undergraduate students
The cost of attendance for students taking classes online or at a venue nationwide will vary greatly depending on your circumstances. The following housing, transportation and personal expense amounts are estimates and are not intended to represent your actual budget.
Traditional full-time undergraduate students
The cost of attendance for traditional students taking classes at our Columbia campus will vary depending on whether they live on campus. The following amounts include current housing and meal plan rates plus estimates of transportation and personal expenses. They are not intended to represent what you will actually pay.
Graduate students
Graduate students include anyone pursuing a master’s degree online or in seat at any of our locations.
Why is the cost of attendance different for military students?
Effective July 1, 2010, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)
implemented a change that affects military students. Specifically, the HEOA, section 471 HEA Section 472(3) states:
The HEOA specifies that, for students living in housing located on a military base
or housing for which they receive a basic allowance under Title 37 of the U.S.C - Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services,
the room and board allowance shall include an allowance based on the expenses reasonably incurred for board only.
Because the housing allowance is not required to be reported on the FAFSA,
the housing allowance must be excluded as part of the cost of attendance.
(The cost of attendance is an estimate of a student's educational expenses for the period of enrollment).
All monies awarded (to include loans, grants, scholarships and military tuition assistance)
cannot exceed the estimated cost of attendance for a session.
Effectively, the removal of your BAH lowers a student's cost of attendance figure.