Metro State University's Cost of Attendance (COA) includes an estimate of the total average cost to attend fall and spring semesters as a full-time student. This includes tuition and required fees, books/supplies, loan fees, an allowance for living expenses, transportation, and personal expenses*. Direct costs, which you pay directly to the university, are the following elements of the cost of attendance: tuition and required fees and, at your discretion, books/supplies. Indirect costs are the other COA components (housing/meals, transportation, and personal/miscellaneous expenses) and these are not paid to the university; they are allowances that are made so that you can obtain financial aid to cover these additional costs while you complete your degree or program.
Estimated Net Price
For a comprehensive estimate of your aid eligibility using our full-time cost of attendance minus grant/scholarship aid that a student may be eligible to receive, use our Net Price Calculator.
The Net Price Calculator uses the Student Aid Index (SAI) which is determined by a congressionally-mandated formula that is used by each student's unique FAFSA data. A student's SAI is the eligibility indicator used to calculate many financial aid need-based awards (example// grants, scholarships and need-based loans). Factors considered in the SAI include income, assets, and family size, among others. Financial aid eligibility for need-based awards are calculated by taking the cost of attendance and subtracting the SAI. Non-need based awards include, but are not limited to, unsubsidized Direct Loans and other private student loans.
Estimated cost of attendance, 2024–25
| Undergraduate students | Graduate students | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees (based on 15 credits per term for a two-term academic year for undergraduate students and 8 credits per term for graduate students) |
$9,810 | $8,812 |
| Books, supplies, and equipment | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Living allowance (housing and meals) | $15,864 | $15,864 |
| Personal expenses (certifications, internet, loan fees, utilities, etc.) | $5,246 | $5,246 |
| Transportation (to/from locations, fuel, insurance, maintenance, etc.) | $3,818 | $3,818 |
| Total | $36,238 | $35,240 |
*NOTE: A student's financial aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance. Tuition, fees, and living expense amounts in the tables below are averages based off of full-time attendance and may not be the same as your actual charges. The living expenses, transportation, and personal expense estimates are derived using the Consumer Expenditure Survey and the Indexes of Comparative Costs, both produced by the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics and downloaded from the College Board.