Medicine is one of the most commendable and important careers in the world. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of physicians in society. Despite its relevance, medicine is one of the most expensive careers in the United States. As expensive as buying a house. An undergraduate student can disburse on average more than $300,000, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
The AAMC adds that the extremely high cost of medical school leaves 84% of students, on average, with debts of more than $100,000. In other words, new doctors begin their careers with debt and arrears if they miss a few payments.
If you want to study medicine, you should design and implement a payment strategy that avoids overwhelming indebtedness in the future. Below, we specify the costs of studying medicine in the United States.
How much does medical school cost per year in the USA?
Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) estimate that the cost of the first year of medical school is between $39,237 and $6,630, depending on the university where you study. This amount only includes tuition and medical insurance, not living expenses, transportation, study guides, transfers, and other costs.
A medical student’s average amount within the United States is $41,438 for residents and $58,246 for non-residents.
After four years of study, the average student usually spends more than $200,000. Not all students end up paying the same amount. Free medical schools like Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and NYU Grossman School of Medicine offer full-tuition scholarships. This means that students only pay for living expenses and the overhead costs of studying.
What is the cheapest medical school?
The high cost of medical school has students looking for more affordable alternatives. To help you, here is a list of the ten best and cheapest medical schools for Americans:
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Tuition, fees, and resident health insurance costs: $23,538
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $36,638
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $22,596
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $32,212
- University of New Mexico
Resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $21,180
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $50,708
- University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio
Resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $21,125
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance payments: $36,2533
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $20,802
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $33,902
- University of Austin
Resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $20,268
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $34,030
- Texas A&M University
Resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $19,308
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $32,408
- Texas Tech Health Science Center, El Paso
Resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $18,838
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance: $31,938
- Texas Tech University
Resident tuition, fees, and health insurance expense: $18,808
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance payments: $31,908
- University of Puerto Rico
Resident tuition, fees, and medical insurance: $18,626
Non -resident tuition, fees, and health insurance payments: $30,626
How much does it cost to go to Harvard medical school for 4 years?
The prestigious Harvard University in its “cost of attendance” payment of tuition, fees, and expenses. The total varies according to the curricular track and stage of the study, including undergraduate, internship, Primary Clinical Experience (PCE), and post-PCE/Advanced Experiences.
Harvard updates the annual student budget to give students an estimate of how much to invest in the degree program. For the current school year, 2021 -2022, these are the prices:
First year
- Tuition: $67,610
- Mandatory fees: $1,901
- Health Insurance Fee*: $4,080
- Additional fees not charged to invoice: $209
- Living expenses: $27,418
- Total cost of attendance: $101,218
Second year
- Tuition: $67,610
- Mandatory fees: $1,376
- Health insurance premium*: $4,080
- Additional fees not charged to invoice: $274
- Living expenses: $33,710
- Total Cost of Attendance: $107,050
Third year
- Tuition: $67,610
- Mandatory fees: $1,376
- Health insurance premium*: $4,080
- Additional fees not charged to invoice: $928
- Living expenses: $32,434
- Total cost of attendance: $106,428
Fourth year
- Tuition: $67,610
- Mandatory fees: $1,376
- Health insurance premium*: $4,080
- Additional fees not charged to invoice: $905
- Living expenses: $31,287
- Total cost of attendance: $105,258
Fifth year
- Tuition: $8,400
- Mandatory fees: $1,376
- Health Insurance Fee*: $4,080
- Additional fees not billed: $899
- Living expenses: $31,287
- Total cost of attendance: $46,042
The university also shows itemized prices and expenses for 2022 -2023. If you wish to have more details, you can go to this link https://meded.hms.harvard.edu/md-cost-attendance.
How do we reduce costs in medical school?
We want to give you some tips to save money if you’re going to study medicine. First, choose a public university in your state of residence over a private one. Certain programs help students cut costs, such as these:
National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program
This federal program covers tuition, fees, books, supplies, and more for four years. To receive it, upon graduation, the physician must work for at least two years in areas where there are no health professionals.
Health Professions Scholarship Program
Those who are interested in the idea of becoming a military physician have the opportunity to enlist in this plan. Any medical school in the U.S pays for it. At the end of the career, the professional must spend one year of military service for each scholarship year.
If you enroll at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, you will receive a full scholarship and a monthly salary. It is important to mention that you will be considered active military in the country’s service by opting for this alternative, and you are committed to maintaining this status for seven consecutive years.
Loan Cancellation Programs
You can also opt for public or private loan programs to finance your career. Some of them are governed by federal agencies such as the Indian Health Service or the National Institutes of Health. Most of these programs pay for jobs in exchange for monthly payments.