Tuition Trends for District of Columbia colleges Over Past 10 Years

There are 23 colleges in District of Columbia - 1 public and 22 private schools. The 2024 average tuition & fees of the 4-year colleges in District of Columbia is $6,152 for District of Columbia residents and $13,004 for out-of-state students. In private colleges, the average tuition & fees is $32,943.

District of Columbia public 4-year colleges' in-state tuition & fees increased by 17.16% from $5,251 (2015) to $6,152 (2024) and out-of-state tuition & fees grew by 15.77% over the past decade from $11,233 (2015) to $13,004 (2024). In private District of Columbia colleges, the tuition & fees increased by 10.32%, from $27,572 (2015) to $30,418 (2024).

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Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased by 18.10% when living on campus and by 14.05% when living off campus at public District of Columbia colleges. For private District of Columbia colleges, the COA has increased by 13.86% (on-campus) and 11.30% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes of District of Columbia colleges
Year	Living On Campus			Living Off Campus
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$22,113	$28,095	$44,434	$22,058	$28,040	$44,379
2015-16	$22,364 1.14%	$28,346 0.89%	$45,425 2.23%	$22,201 0.65%	$28,183 0.51%	$45,262 1.99%
2016-17	$22,742 1.69%	$28,886 1.91%	$46,561 2.50%	$22,348 0.66%	$28,492 1.10%	$46,167 2.00%
2017-18	$23,364 2.74%	$29,700 2.82%	$47,794 2.65%	$23,671 5.92%	$30,007 5.32%	$48,101 4.19%
2018-19	$24,138 3.31%	$30,666 3.25%	$50,885 6.47%	$23,287 -1.62%	$29,815 -0.64%	$50,034 4.02%
2019-20	$24,539 1.66%	$31,223 1.82%	$49,931 -1.87%	$23,874 2.52%	$30,558 2.49%	$49,266 -1.53%
2020-21	$25,223 2.79%	$32,075 2.73%	$50,974 2.09%	$23,888 0.06%	$30,740 0.60%	$49,639 0.76%
2021-22	$25,199 -0.10%	$32,051 -0.07%	$49,898 -2.11%	$23,810 -0.33%	$30,662 -0.25%	$48,509 -2.28%
2022-23	$25,576 1.50%	$32,428 1.18%	$48,741 -2.32%	$24,665 3.59%	$31,517 2.79%	$47,830 -1.40%
2023-24	$26,327 2.94%	$33,179 2.32%	$50,593 3.80%	$25,129 1.88%	$31,981 1.47%	$49,395 3.27%

Tuition & Fees Changes

For the current year (2024), the average tuition & fees for District of Columbia colleges is $6,152 for District of Columbia residents and $13,004 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $30,418.

For graduate programs, the 2024 average graduate tuition & fees is $10,954 for District of Columbia residents and $19,468 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $29,869.

The tuition & fees has increased 15.77% for undergraduate programs and 15.13% for graduate programs at District of Columbia colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.

Tuition & Fees Changes for District of Columbia colleges
Year	Undergraduate			Graduate
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$5,251	$11,233	$27,572	$8,700	$16,162	$22,988
2015-16	$5,251 0.00%	$11,233 0.00%	$28,312 2.68%	$8,700 0.00%	$16,162 0.00%	$23,319 1.44%
2016-17	$5,612 6.87%	$11,756 4.66%	$29,431 3.95%	$9,158 5.26%	$16,808 4.00%	$23,898 2.48%
2017-18	$5,756 2.57%	$12,092 2.86%	$30,186 2.57%	$9,410 2.75%	$17,294 2.89%	$24,814 3.83%
2018-19	$5,888 2.29%	$12,416 2.68%	$32,635 8.11%	$9,644 2.49%	$17,762 2.71%	$25,610 3.21%
2019-20	$6,020 2.24%	$12,704 2.32%	$31,412 -3.75%	$9,860 2.24%	$18,176 2.33%	$25,252 -1.40%
2020-21	$6,152 2.19%	$13,004 2.36%	$31,903 1.56%	$10,094 2.37%	$18,608 2.38%	$25,907 2.59%
2021-22	$6,152 0.00%	$13,004 0.00%	$30,851 -3.30%	$10,094 0.00%	$18,608 0.00%	$26,453 2.11%
2022-23	$6,152 0.00%	$13,004 0.00%	$29,317 -4.97%	$10,094 0.00%	$18,608 0.00%	$30,119 13.86%
2023-24	$6,152 0.00%	$13,004 0.00%	$30,418 3.76%	$10,094 0.00%	$18,608 0.00%	$29,260 -2.85%

District of Columbia 4-Year Colleges Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

District of Columbia Graduate Schools Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Books & Supplies Costs Changes for District of Columbia colleges
Year	Books & Supplies
2014-15	$1,365
2015-16	$1,332 -2.42%
2016-17	$1,221 -8.33%
2017-18	$1,226 0.41%
2018-19	$1,457 18.84%
2019-20	$1,285 -11.81%
2020-21	$1,267 -1.40%
2021-22	$1,202 -5.13%
2022-23	$984 -18.14%
2023-24	$984 0.00%

Living Costs Changes

For District of Columbia colleges, the living have increased 19.86% when a student lives on campus facilities and 16.06% when living off campus from year 2015 to 2024. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.

Living Costs Changes for District of Columbia colleges
Year	Living On Campus	Living Off Campus
2014-15	$15,497	$16,384
2015-16	$15,781 0.48%	$16,667 -0.36%
2016-17	$15,909 1.95%	$16,496 2.68%
2017-18	$16,382 2.71%	$17,295 5.95%
2018-19	$16,793 2.92%	$17,027 -0.59%
2019-20	$17,234 3.22%	$17,809 2.30%
2020-21	$17,804 3.03%	$18,108 0.32%
2021-22	$17,845 -0.03%	$17,998 0.69%
2022-23	$18,440 3.92%	$19,175 3.60%
2023-24	$19,191 3.94%	$19,625 4.51%

Most Searched District of Columbia Colleges (last 30 days)

4-Year Colleges

Howard University Private, four-years | Washington
George Washington University Private, four-years | Washington
American University Private, four-years | Washington
Georgetown University Private, four-years | Washington
Gallaudet University Private, four-years | Washington
The Catholic University of America Private, four-years | Washington
University of the District of Columbia Public, four-years | Washington
University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus Private, four-years | Washington
Technical Learning Centers Inc Private, Less than 2-years | Washington
Trinity Washington University Private, four-years | Washington

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Graduate

George Washington University Private, four-years | Washington
American University Private, four-years | Washington
Howard University Private, four-years | Washington
Georgetown University Private, four-years | Washington
Gallaudet University Private, four-years | Washington
The Catholic University of America Private, four-years | Washington
Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security Private, four-years | Washington
Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family Private, four-years | Washington
Strayer University-District of Columbia Private, four-years | Washington
Trinity Washington University Private, four-years | Washington

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Online Schools

Howard University Private, four-years | Washington
Strayer University-District of Columbia Private, four-years | Washington
Georgetown University Private, four-years | Washington
Trinity Washington University Private, four-years | Washington
Institute of World Politics Private, four-years | Washington
Gallaudet University Private, four-years | Washington
National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts Private, 2-4 years | Washington
Wesley Theological Seminary Private, four-years | Washington
University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus Private, four-years | Washington
Bennett Career Institute Private, Less than 2-years | Washington

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Trade Schools

Career Technical Institute Private, 2-4 years | Washington
Institute of World Politics Private, four-years | Washington
Bennett Career Institute Private, Less than 2-years | Washington
Technical Learning Centers Inc Private, Less than 2-years | Washington
The Catholic University of America Private, four-years | Washington
Strayer University-District of Columbia Private, four-years | Washington
The Chicago School at Washington DC Private, four-years | Washington
Saint Michael College of Allied Health Private, 2-4 years | Washington
Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security Private, four-years | Washington
American University Private, four-years | Washington

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Tuition Trends for District of Columbia colleges Over Past 10 Years

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Tuition & Fees Changes

Books & Supplies Costs Changes

Living Costs Changes