Total Cost of Masters Program?

Schools in the US each set their own prices, leading to great variability in their costs. Some schools are "owned" by the state governments and receive more financial support from the government ... some have large endowment funds from which they earn large amounts of income to supplement their income ... others are owned by "for profit" corporationsl ... some receive more research grants than others that help defray expenses ... etc. Different financial foundations lead them to set their prices differently. It's a very complicated system of funding.

It pays to "shop around." Look at each program to see what each course costs. Then see how many courses they require for the degree program that interests you. That will give you an estimate of what your total tuition costs will be for that particular program -- though remembe that inflation will probably cause the price to rise a little each year.

You may find that one school has a program that costs more per course may actually be cheaper because it requires fewer courses. Another school my be more expensive, but be able to provide more financial assistance that will decrease your actual expense. etc. etc. etc. My suggestion is to find a few schools that interest you based on the content and qualitly of their programs, then estimate your costs for each. Look at them side-by-side to compare and make the choice that suits your needs the best.

Good luck,

llg