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Penn History

Tuition and Mandated Fees, Room and Board, and Other Educational Costs at Penn 1930-1939

Compiled by Mark Frazier Lloyd, Director of the University Archives and Records Center, with the assistance of Nicholas G. Heavens, University Archives Summer Research Fellow

First published in 2003, with annual updates

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Year Tuition and Fees, By School Other Expenses*
1930
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400, which included the General Fee

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250, which included the General Fee

Education:
Tuition: $400, which included the General Fee

Fine Arts (Arch.):
Tuition: $400, which included the General Fee

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400, which included the General Fee

Law:
Tuition: $400, which included the General Fee

Medicine:
Tuition: $500 (an increase of $100), which included the General Fee

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225, which included the General Fee

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $35
Clothing and miscellaneous: $260
1931
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee of $10 (new)

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250, plus a Health Fee of $10 (new)

Education:
Tuition: $400, plus a Health Fee of $10 (new)

Fine Arts (Architecture):
Tuition: $400, plus a Health Fee of $10 (new)

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400, plus a Health Fee of $10 (new)

Law:
Tuition: $400, plus a Health Fee of $10 (new)

Medicine:
Tuition: $500, plus a Health Fee of $10 (new)

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225, plus a Health Fee of $10 (new)

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $35
Clothing and miscellaneous: $285 (an increase of $25)
1932
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400,
Health Fee: $10

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250
Health Fee: $10

Education:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Fine Arts:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Law:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Medicine:
Tuition: $500
Health Fee: $10

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225
Health Fee: $10

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $35
Clothing and miscellaneous: $285
1933
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, College of Liberal Arts for Women, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
Student Activities Fee (SAF): $0.50 (new)

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250
Health Fee: $10

Education:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
Student Activities Fee (SAF): $0.50 (new)

Fine Arts:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
SAF: $0.50 (new)

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Law:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Medicine:
Tuition: $500
Health Fee: $10

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225
Health Fee: $10

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $45 (an increase of $10)
1934
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, College of Liberal Arts for Women, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
Student Activities Fee (SAF): $1 (an increase of $0.50)

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250
Health Fee: $10

Education:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
SAF: $1 (an increase of $0.50)

Fine Arts:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
SAF: $1 (an increase of $0.50)

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Law:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Medicine:
Tuition: $500
Health Fee: $10

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225
Health Fee: $10

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $45
1935
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, College of Liberal Arts for Women, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
Student Activities Fee (SAF): $1

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250
Health Fee: $10

Education:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
SAF: $1

Fine Arts:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
SAF: $1

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Law:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Medicine:
Tuition: $500
Health Fee: $10

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225
Health Fee: $10

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $45
1936
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, College of Liberal Arts for Women, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
Student Activities Fee (SAF): $1

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250
Health Fee: $10

Education:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
SAF: $1

Fine Arts:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10
SAF: $1

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Law:
Tuition: $400
Health Fee: $10

Medicine:
Tuition: $500
Health Fee: $10

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225
Health Fee: $10

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $45
1937
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, College of Liberal Arts for Women, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20 (which includes the former Health Fee, Student Activities Fee, and Graduation Fee)

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250
General Fee: $20

Education:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20

Fine Arts:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $15

Law:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $15

Medicine:
Tuition: $500
General Fee: $15

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225
General Fee: $15

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $45
1938
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, College of Liberal Arts for Women, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $250
General Fee: $20

Education:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20

Fine Arts:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $15

Law:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $15

Medicine:
Tuition: $500
General Fee: $15

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225
General Fee: $15

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $45
1939
 Undergraduate Schools:

College, College of Liberal Arts for Women, School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and the Wharton School:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20

Full-Time Graduate Groups (Ph.D.):

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:
Tuition: $325 (an increase of $75)
General Fee: $20

Education:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20

Fine Arts:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $20

Full-Time Graduate Groups/Professional Schools and Programs (selected non-Ph.D. programs):

Dental Medicine:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $15

Law:
Tuition: $400
General Fee: $15

Medicine:
Tuition: $500
General Fee: $15

Veterinary Medicine:
Tuition: $225
General Fee: $15

Room and Board: $520
Text-books: $45

Notes

* Undergraduate expenses only

For a historical commodity price index see www.westegg.com/inflation/ and John J. McCusker, How Much Is That In Real Money? (Worcester: American Antiquarian Society, 2001).

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