The real 4-year cost of Vanderbilt University in Tennessee
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Vanderbilt University went from $37,005 to $72,150, an average of 4.4% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $72,150Full-year undergraduate tuition; required fees carried forward.source
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $37,005 | – | – |
| 2009 | $38,578 | – | – |
| 2010 | $39,930 | – | – |
| 2011 | $41,332 | – | – |
| 2012 | $42,118 | – | – |
| 2013 | $42,978 | – | – |
| 2014 | $43,838 | – | – |
| 2015 | $44,712 | – | – |
| 2016 | $45,610 | – | – |
| 2017 | $47,664 | – | – |
| 2018 | $49,816 | – | – |
| 2019 | $52,070 | – | – |
| 2020 | $54,158 | – | – |
| 2021 | $56,966 | – | – |
| 2022 | $60,348 | – | – |
| 2023 | $63,946 | – | – |
| 2026 | $72,150 | $72,150 | – |
| 2027 | – | $75,358 | $74,377–$76,338 |
| 2028 | – | $78,708 | $76,673–$80,770 |
| 2029 | – | $82,208 | $79,040–$85,459 |
| 2030 | – | $85,863 | $81,479–$90,420 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $72,150 |
| Year 2 | $75,358 |
| Year 3 | $78,708 |
| Year 4 | $82,208 |
| 4-year total | $308,424 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $268,424
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $159,188
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Announced 2026–27
- $23,690/ yr
- rising 4.5% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $101,279
School’s own published rateHousing $15,170 + first/second-year dining $8,520.source
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Housing here is rising faster than tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Vanderbilt University4-year schools with similar prices in Tennessee
Closest to Vanderbilt University by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- Rhodes College$61,060
- The University of the South$53,704
- Belmont University$41,320
- Milligan University$39,350
- Lipscomb University$38,824
- Maryville College$38,514
- Christian Brothers University$37,300
- King University$34,800
Use this data
Published figures for Vanderbilt University from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.