Bates College charges a single comprehensive fee, which includes tuition, room, board, and fees.  Costs for books, personal expenses and transportation do not appear on the bill, but are factored into a student's budget for the purpose of determining aid eligibility and awarding financial aid.  For the 2007-2008 school year, the comprehensive fee is $46,800.  A typical student budget (for a student from New England), including books, travel and personal expenses is $48,850.

The real annual cost to educate each student at Bates is much higher than the comprehensive fee.  The costs not covered by fees are met by our endowment, annual giving by parents, alumni, and friends of the College and other sources.