Of course, when thinking about choosing a college, most people first think of tuition costs.
But, all additional costs should be taken into account in order to choose the right service at the best price.
As is already known, public colleges are considerably cheaper than private ones as they are partly funded by the state.
It is very important that the average tuition fees in 2020/21 increased by about 1%, both in private and public colleges.
Although public colleges are cheaper and many think that choosing them will save money, private ones have a much better reputation and often help students with scholarships.
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Average Costs
Community Colleges
The average tuition for public community colleges is approximately $5,222 per year for in-state students.
For out-of-state students, the average tuition is $8,882.
The average tuition for private community colleges is $15,470/year.
South Mountain Community College applies an annual total price of $20,778 for residents.
This fee is comprised of $2,040 for tuition, $1,464 for books and supplies, and $30 for other fees.
Non-residents are charged a total cost of $26,562.
The tuition charge is $7,824, books and supplies are $1,464 and other fees come in at $30.
Everest College-Colorado Springs is a private for-profit 2-year college.
Annual tuition and fees are at the price of $14,400.
Living on-campus charges $16,238, equally for residents and non-residents.
Public Colleges
According to the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of public in-state tuition is $9,580.
The average cost of public out-state tuition is $27,437.
With additional expenses, an in-state student attending a 4-year institution spends $25,615 for one academic year.
On the other side, out-of-state students spend $43,721.
The total cost of a degree (4 years) for an in-state student living on the campus is $103,456.
The total price of a degree for an out-of-state student is $174,884.
University of California-Los Angeles’s tuition is $14,100 for in-state and $43,900 for out-of-state students.
University of Virginia‘s in-state tuition is $14,836, and for non-residents tuiton is $47,257.
Residents will pay $34,094 per year ($14,836 – tuition, $11,950 room and board, $1,384 – books and supplies, $2,962 – other fees).
The price for non-residents is $66,515 (the difference is just tuition).
Private Colleges
At the non-profit private institution, the cost of the tuition is $37,200 per year.
With additional expenses, the student spends $53,949 per year.
The total cost of a degree (4 years) for a non-profit institution is enormous $215,796.
At the private for-profit institution, the cost of the tuition is $13,475 per year.
With additional expenses, the student spends $34,548 per year.
The total cost of a degree (4 years) for a private for-profit institution is $138,192.
At the Princeton University, the cost of attendance for 2021-22 is $77,690 and includes:
- Tuition: $56,010
- Room charge: $10,690
- Board rate: $7,490
- Estimated miscellaneous expenses: $3,500
Harvard University applies tuition of $51,904 for full-time students and $25,952 for part-time students.
Yale College has a tuition of $59,950, room tuition of $10,100, and board tuition of $7,700.
Thus, the total tuition at Yale College is $77,750.
At Columbia University in New York, tuition is $63,530 for 2021/22.
Stanford University applies tuition of $55,473 for 2021/22.
A total tuition is $78,898 and include $17,860 – room and board, $2,010 – student fees allowance, $1,305 – books and supplies, and $2,250 – personal expenses.
Additional Costs
Most colleges list additional costs on their sites, such as books and housing costs.
However, it is also wise to pay attention to transportation costs that are generally not listed in addition to other costs.
For example, the estimated cost of Princeton University does not include the cost of travel, which may range between $300 and $5,000.
If the student is not covered with family health insurance, must pay $2,780 for 2021/22.
Harvard University charges $5,282 for health insurance.
Yale College charges $2,650 for Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Insurance, and $100 for student activity fee.
Discounts
Students with the best grades and results may be eligible for financial aid at top colleges.
The US Department of Education offers an overview of federal financial aid programs.
