Academic Year 2026–27

These costs apply to the Fall ’26 and Spring ’27 semesters.

Direct Costs

	Residential Students Semesterly Cost	Commuter Students Semesterly Cost
Tuition	$18,327	$18,327
Technology and credentialing fee	$92	$92
Student Organization fee	$145	$145
Food and Housing expenses	$6,194	$832*
Total Est. Direct Cost (Billed Expense)	$24,758/semester	$19,396/semester

*This cost covers the required Block 25 meal plan for commuter students (opt out available).

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That “sticker price” can be intimidating. But very few MBU students pay full tuition. The average annual cost paid by MBU students is $21,315. And MBU works with students to ensure that relevant coursework, as well as work and life experiences, count toward your degree, further minimizing tuition costs. That’s why US News & World Report ranked MBU as a best value school in the south, and one of the top schools in the U.S. for boosting social mobility. 

Indirect Costs

Students should also anticipate additional indirect costs such as books, supplies, travel, recreation, and personal items. These expenses are not billed by MBU but are considered when determining financial aid awards. 

Semester estimates for these expenses are included below but vary from student to student:

	Residential Students	Commuter Students
Books and supplies	$472	$472
Transportation	$768	$768
Personal expenses	$1,260	$1,260
Loan fees (if federal loans are borrowed)	$44	$44
Living off-campus (if not living on campus)	—	$6,426*
Total Est. Indirect Costs	$2,544/semester	$8,970/semester

*Undergraduate commuter students living at home who do not purchase off-campus housing for the duration of the program are estimated to pay $960 a semester in room/board.

2025–26 May Term

May Term at Mary Baldwin is a unique opportunity to dive into a single course over three focused weeks in May, featuring in-person, study abroad, and online options. Beginning in 2026, May Term courses are part of MBU’s summer term, and will begin after Commencement.

May Term courses are billed separately on a per-credit basis at $460/credit hour. This tuition cost for May Term aligns with the standard billing for all summer courses at MBU.