Russell Group

London School of Economics — can you afford it?

London · 12,000 students · Est. 1895

£152.6/wk
Cheapest halls
+£517/mo
After halls
3 hrs/wk
Work to break even
95%
Graduate employment
31
Affordability score

The monthly maths

Maintenance loan (max — London rate)+£1,178
Cheapest halls (£152.6/wk × 4.33)£661
After halls+£517
Transport (city avg)−£185
Food (estimate)−£200
Monthly balance-£128

Work hours to break even: 3 hrs/week at £12.21/hr

Annual shortfall: -£1,536

Over 3 years: -£4,608

Typical (median) room: -£865/mo if not in the cheapest option

Based on maximum loan. Calculate your actual loan →

Halls vs private in London

🏠 LSE halls

Cheapest£152.6/wk (£661/mo)
Median£322.52/wk (£1,398/mo)
Most expensive£498.53/wk (£2,160/mo)
BillsIncluded ✓
Contract40–51 weeks
Monthly surplus£517per month

🏢 Private rental in London

Average rent£1,200/month
Bills estimate+£180/mo
Total housing cost£1,380/mo
Contract12 months (summer risk)
BillsExtra ✗
Monthly deficit-£202per month

LSE by the numbers

Total students12,000
Undergraduates5,000
International students70%
Student:staff ratio10.8:1
Graduate employment95%
Average graduate salary£42,000
TypeRussell Group
Founded1895

Student numbers: HESA 2024/25. Graduate salary: SalaryDex data for London. Graduate salaries in London

Notable LSE alumni

M
Mick Jagger
Lead singer, The Rolling Stones
→ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mick-jagger
G
George Soros
Investor and philanthropist
→ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/george-soros

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Compare LSE with others

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What happens after LSE?

Newly qualified Software engineer in London
Entry gross: £35,000 · Take-home after rent: +£1,008/mo
Full salary breakdown →
Newly qualified Nurse (Band 5) in London
Entry gross: £30,959 · Take-home after rent: +£650/mo
Full salary breakdown →
Newly qualified Teacher in London
Entry gross: £31,650 · Take-home after rent: +£675/mo
Full salary breakdown →

Take-home estimates based on 2025/26 PAYE rates including student loan Plan 5 repayments.

Accommodation data source

Accommodation costs verified 2026-05-19 from London School of Economics official accommodation page. Monthly costs use the formula: weekly rate × 39 contract weeks ÷ 9 academic months. Bills included in all quoted rates.

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