<p>The only universal cost in that estimated cost of attendance is the tuition and fees. That’s generally why people might say that it costs around $20,000 a year in-state. I don’t recall if PSU requires freshmen to live on campus, but even with that there are variances in costs depending on meal plan, dorm building, etc. Without knowing exactly what you select, other people can’t really give you a valid cost estimate for your total cost of attendance. Living off-campus, exactly what books you will need, etc. - your actual expenses may be significantly different from the estimate calculator.</p>
<p>That’s also a good reason to ask folks exactly what they mean when they say it costs “around $20,000” a year. It pays to do your homework, as you yourself discovered.</p>
<p>PSU gets about 10% of its operating expenses from the state of Pennsylvania. Each budget year it’s a battle as to what the state legislature and governor will provide to higher education for that year. PSU (as well as Pitt, Temple and Lincoln) can’t, in good faith, assume how much they will get from the state in advance. That’s why there’s no cost estimate for 2014-15.</p>