It is not cheap to attend college and earn a degree. While information on average costs is easily obtained on the internet, students need to make personal budgets based on their own unique expenses. As you prepare your budget, use these five categories.

College Tuition and Fees

Tuition is the basic cost of college. It is also one of the most variable expenses. State schools have lower tuition prices. Private schools have much higher costs. Some state schools and private schools are less expensive than others in their class. A two year community college will likely have low tuition prices. Many students save money by starting at a two year school and then they transfer to a more expensive 4-year public or private university for the final two years. The average tuition cost of a 2- year school is around $2,700. The average tuition cost at a state university is $7,600 per year. Private colleges average $27,293 per year for tuition. Besides tuition, most colleges and universities collect additional fees from students each semester. These cover things like student activities, laboratory costs, etc.

College Room and Board

This cost depends on if you live on campus or at home or at some other living arrangement not on the campus. At a state university, the cost of room and board charged for living in dormitories and eating at the cafeteria can be close to the tuition cost. Living at home saves a lot of this expense. The price of off campus living varies depending on your lifestyle and whether you have roommates or live alone.

College Books and Supplies

The national average for these costs is $1,137 per year. You can save a considerable amount of money on textbooks by buying them online from used book sellers or renting the books from services like Chegg (www.chegg.com)

Personal Expenses

Everyone has various expenses associated with their lifestyle. These can include:

ñ Cell phone expense

ñ Laundr

ñ Clothes

ñ Entertainment

Don't forget pocket money! What's the point of going to college if you don't meet your friends for coffee or pizza! Keep careful track of these expenses because they can add up fast.

Transportation

The average cost to college students for transportation is $1,073. Your personal transportation costs depend on how close you live to campus, whether you are traveling long distance to return home for holidays, and whether you operate a vehicle or take public transportation.