I recently was having a discussion with a colleague about conference registration rates that got me thinking… What do these cost in 2023? (What is the cost of anything anymore in 2023?!) I’m often aware of the conferences I attend, but what about the others? How do they compare to one another? Which are the most expensive? Which are the most affordable?
The following was compiled to give a sense of prevailing conference registration rates, specially for housing and residence life professionals. To narrow the listing, associations were limited to: ACUHO-I (Housing and Residence Life), ACPA and NASPA (Student Affairs Generalist), ASCA (Student Conduct)
- Only in-person events are listed.
- All rates are for “Early” registration.
- All rates are for current “professionals” (non-graduate student, non-student) members of the respective associations. Membership is an additional cost that can vary.
- Some events provided by the associations didn’t currently have registration rates listed and were excluded.
- Some registration rates include some meals. All do not include lodging (with official hotel rates ranging from about $170-$250).
Regional ACUHO Annual Conferences:
Only two ACUHO regions currently list registration rates on publicly accessible pages. Some are behind a log-in for members and others do not list them until closer to their respective conferences.
- GLACUHO (2023) – $285
- NEACUHO (2023) – $275
National Conferences and Institutes:
- ACUHO-I Academic Initiatives Conference (2023) – $955
- ACUHO-I Business Operations (2023) – $955
- ACUHO-I/APPA Housing Facilities (2023) – $955
- NASPA Institute for Aspiring Vice Presidents for Student Affairs (2024) – $845
- ACUHO-I Annual Convention and Expo (2023) – $785
- ACUHO-I, ACUI, and NIRSA Aspiring Directors Institute (2023) – $785
- ACPA Institute on the Curricular Approach (2023) – $629
- ACPA Student Affairs Assessment Institute (2023) – $599
- NASPA Racial Equity and Social Change Conference (2024) – $525
- NASPA Peer Education Conference (2024) – $525
- NASPA Strategies Conferences (2024) – $525
- ASCA National conference (2023) – $500
- NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students (2024) – $495
- NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education (2023) – $495
- NASPA Annual Conference (2024) – $485
- ACPA Annual Convention (2024) – $459
- ACPA Faculty Racial Justice and Decolonization Institute (2023) – $395
- ACPA Institute for Aspiring SSAOs (2023) – $395
Some Interesting Notes and Takeaways
- No registration cost has broken the $1000 barrier, but we’re getting close.
- The ACPA and NASPA Annual Conferences are two of the most affordable, which was a bit surprising, but given their size and scale, they are likely able to reduce costs. Conversely, institutes and ACUHO-I international/national conferences are some of the most expensive, although they tend to include more meals with their registrations.
- Generally, the more “niche” the experience, the higher the registration cost. This makes sense as convention space costs are likely higher on a per delegate basis. They’re also more likely to include provided meals, likely to meet food and beverage minimums.
- Regional conferences, at least from the limited data available, are the most affordable of all.
What takeaways would you add?
