With colleges charging thousands of dollars each term for room and board, it’s no wonder why college students are looking for cheaper alternatives. While housing costs look different from state to state and from school to school, on average, students tend to pay more than $49,000 for room and board over four years of college.

So what’s included in room and board? First of all, your living arrangement and meal plan. If you’re entering your first year of college, you’ll probably be in a dorm with an on-campus meal plan.