<p>Note that tuition rates differ by college, and do not increase in jr/sr years (like they might do other places, eg. PSU). [Institutional</a> Research - Tuition Rates - Pgh - UG - OS](<a href=“http://www.ir.pitt.edu/tuition/pghosfirst.php]Institutional”>http://www.ir.pitt.edu/tuition/pghosfirst.php) If you had the inclination to do an analysis of tuition costs year over year and project them out for 4 yrs (like this crazy mom did last yr), you will see Pitt (for OOS I’m saying here) is very conservative with increases. Through talking with other parents, the housing options, meal plan options and costs are also really very reasonable at Pitt vs. other schools. You are only guaranteed housing through jr. year so if you look at off-campus options - Pitt is also pretty inexpensive ($500/mo) - compared to say, finding a rental in Boston, NYC, Rochester… All things to consider. </p>
<p>Travel and misc. are based on your habits and how travel home for breaks might cost, for some this will be higher but for others lower. For my ds, he used about $1000 in “stuff” like smoothies, clothes, dinners off campus, movies, concerts… If you plan to come home for breaks, there are buses home which are not too expensive as well there is a megabus that runs out of Pittsburgh. Books are another thing - if you buy used, find books on the internet used, do your research…your costs will be lower. My ds (engineering) came in around $650 for the year. ymmv.</p>