Vanderbilt University

What is the cost of studying for a year at Vanderbilt University?

Vanderbilt charges the same published undergraduate tuition regardless of Tennessee residency. In the 2024-25 IPEDS figures, full-time undergraduate tuition was $65,008 and required fees were $2,490. Those charges alone total $67,498; housing, food, books, transportation, and personal expenses add to the cost of attendance.

Other reported cost components include typical academic-year housing of $14,760, dining of $8,288, and books and supplies of $1,100. Because published cost figures can come from different reporting snapshots, applicants should use Vanderbilt's budget for their actual entry year rather than combine figures from different years into a supposedly current total.

Sticker price is not net price. In the reported aid data, average net price was $1,876 for students from families earning up to $48,000 and $4,498 for those in the next income band, while the average for families earning more than $110,000 was $45,145. These are group averages, not individual quotes. Vanderbilt's Opportunity Vanderbilt need-based aid program is intended to meet eligible undergraduates' demonstrated need without need-based loans; students may also be considered for competitive merit scholarships. Applicants should check the financial-aid forms and scholarship deadlines for their admission round. The reported aid data show that 70% of students received financial aid and 10% had student loans, but neither figure establishes what a new applicant will receive. Eligible students may also use federal aid or qualifying veteran and military education benefits.

What are the work-study opportunities at Vanderbilt University?

Eligible Vanderbilt students may seek Federal Work-Study jobs as part of a financial-aid package, while other campus positions can be open through ordinary student employment. Work-Study is permission to earn wages in qualifying jobs, not money automatically credited to a tuition bill. Job availability, hours, and hiring requirements vary; an aid award does not itself secure a position.

Students can use Vanderbilt's student-employment resources to look for campus openings and should distinguish paid work from an academic internship, which may have different eligibility and credit rules. For longer-term planning, the university's career services provide advising on career exploration, application materials, interviews, internships, and employer connections. Access to those services should not be confused with a verified job-placement rate or a promise of employment.