U.S. News每年对1800余所院校进行调查。其中1130所学校提供了2011到2012年间的食宿费用，平均计算得到数据是：9047美元。
除了学费，生活费是大学生们必须考虑的一块。下面是usnews选出的生活费最高的十所大学。这些大学生活费用高于美国平均水平近6000美元，美国大学平均生活费是9047美元一年，而下面这些大学生活费平均水平是14，873美元一年。
下面几所大学，除了加州大学伯克利分校和加州大学圣克鲁兹校区是公立学校，余下八所均为私立院校。
Here are the 10 schools with the most expensive room and board fees for the 2011-2012 academic year:
| School name (State) | Room & board (2011-2012) | U.S. News rank & category |
| Howard University (DC) | $15,341 | 115, National Universities |
| University of California-- Berkeley | $15,272 | 21, National Universities |
| New School (NY) | $15,260 | 128, National Universities |
| New York University | $15,182 | 33, National Universities |
| Fordham University (NY) | $14,926 | 53, National Universities |
| University of California--Santa Cruz | $14,727 | 75, National Universities |
| Suffolk University (MA) | $14,624 | 60, Regional Universities (North) |
| St. John's University (NY) | $14,600 | 152, National Universities |
| Dominican University of California | $14,460 | 37, Regional Universities (West) |
| Manhattanville College (NY) | $14,340 | 46, Regional Universities (North) |
