Report Highlights. American medical schools have increased costs by an average of $1,452 every year since 2005.
- The class of 2025 paid* $234,792 to attend the average U.S. medical school.
- The average cost of medical school in the 2025-26 academic year (AY) was $61,110, up 2.33% year-over-year (YoY).
- Including the average tuition and fees to earn a Bachelor of Health Sciences, a typical new med school graduate paid $380,415 to obtain their degree.
- The class of 2030 can expect to pay $419,300 to obtain their medical degree, including undergrad tuition and fees.
- Among the 206 U.S. medical schools, the most expensive (Northeast Ohio Medical University) charged nonresidents $102,657 in AY 2025-26.
*Including health insurance, average tuition and fees among public and private medical schools for resident and nonresident students. This report excludes additional costs of attendance, such as room and board, except where otherwise noted.
| Institution Type | Residence Status | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Public | Resident | $43,016 |
| Private | Resident | $68,342 |
| Public | Nonresident | $68,032 |
| Private | Nonresident | $69,789 |
Related reports include Average Cost of Law School | Average Cost of a Master’s Degree | Average Cost of a Doctorate Degree | Average Cost of College| Average Cost of Community College
Average Cost of Medical School
Public medical schools are less expensive than private schools, and residents generally pay less than nonresidents.
- The average public medical school charged $43,016 to residents in the 2025-26 academic year (AY).
- Nonresidents paid $68,032 to attend the average public medical school in AY 2025-26.
- The average private medical school charged $68,342 to residents in the AY 2025-26.
- Nonresidents paid $68,789 to attend the average private medical school in AY 2025-26.
Historic Cost of Medical School
Graduates of medical school usually earn the credential of Medical Doctor (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.).
- Over the past 20 years, the average annual cost of medical school increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.36%.
- Between AY 2005-06 and AY 2025-26, medical school tuition increased 89.6%, up from an average $32,237.
- Medical school tuition and fees increased 76.4% between AY 1995-96 and AY 2005-06, up from an average $18,278.
Average Cost of a Medical Degree
A medical school degree typically takes 4 years to complete (excluding undergraduate study).
- Graduates in 2026 paid $165,134 for a medical degree from an in-state public institution.
- Nonresidents in the class of 2026 paid $264,666 for a medical degree from the average public institution.
- 2026 resident graduates from the average private school paid $262,786 for their medical degree.
- Nonresidents of the class of 2026 paid $266,408 for a degree from the average private medical school.
| Academic Year | Average Cost | Annual Cost Inflation |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | $61,110 | 2.33% |
| 2024-25 | $59,720 | 3.52% |
| 2023-24 | $57,687 | 2.51% |
| 2022-23 | $56,275 | 1.81% |
| 2021-22 | $55,277 | 4.10% |
| 2020-21 | $53,101 | -0.96% |
| 2019-20 | $53,618 | 1.58% |
| 2018-19 | $52,783 | 1.88% |
| 2017-18 | $51,811 | 2.73% |
| 2016-17 | $50,433 | 2.09% |
| 2015-16 | $49,403 | 3.45% |
| 2014-15 | $47,755 | 3.18% |
| 2013-14 | $46,285 | 3.92% |
| 2012-13 | $44,540 | 4.22% |
| 2011-12 | $42,736 | 5.70% |
| 2010-11 | $40,432 | 5.41% |
| 2009-10 | $38,357 | 5.73% |
| 2008-09 | $36,277 | 3.56% |
| 2007-08 | $35,030 | 4.83% |
| 2006-07 | $33,417 | 3.66% |
| 2005-06 | $32,237 | 5.26% |
| 2004-05 | $30,628 | 9.45% |
| 2003-04 | $27,984 | 7.36% |
| 2002-03 | $26,065 | 7.16% |
| 2001-02 | $24,324 | 6.10% |
| 2000-01 | $22,926 | 4.43% |
| 1999-2000 | $21,954 | 4.07% |
| 1998-99 | $21,096 | 4.24% |
| 1997-98 | $20,239 | 4.77% |
| 1996-97 | $19,317 | 5.69% |
| 1995-96 | $18,278 | NA |
Historic Cost of a Medical Degree
The class of 2026 paid over twice as much for medical school than the class of 2006 did.
- The largest annual increase in the 21st century was 9.45%, occurring between AYs 2003-04 and 2004-05.
- Ultimately, 2026 medical school graduates paid 100.8% more in tuition and fees over four (4) years than the class of 2006, which paid an average of $116,913.
- Over the past 20 years, the average total cost of a medical degree increased at a CAGR of 3.73%.
- Between AY 2005-06 and AY 2025-26, the average total medical school cost increased by 100.8%, up from an average of $116,913.
- Between the class of 1999 and the class of 2026, the average cost of a medical degree increased by 197.5%, up from an average of $78,930.
Medical School Cost Projections
If current trends continue, students can expect tuition costs to increase at an average annual rate of $1,511.
- By AY 2029-30, medical students will pay $66,527 at the average med school.
- The average cost of medical school has a projected CAGR of 2.18% between AYs 2025-26 and 2029-30.
- Medical school alone will cost the class of 2030 an estimated $257,808, excluding the cost of an undergraduate degree.
Cost by School
Among the accredited medical school programs in the U.S., 162 are allopathic (M.D.) and 44 are osteopathic (D.O.).
- Alice L. Walton School of Medicine offers the lowest** annual cost of attendance at $2,390 for residents and nonresidents alike.
- Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine has the most expensive in-state tuition at $84,425.
- At Northeast Ohio Medical University,the annual cost of attendance for out-of-state students is $46,528 more than for in-state students, who pay $56,129.
**Some schools, such as the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, offer full or partial tuition waivers.
| Name‡ | Residents | Nonresidents |
|---|---|---|
| Albany Medical College | $65,689 | $65,689 |
| Albert Einstein College of Medicine | $82,697 | $82,697 |
| Alice L. Walton School of Medicine | $2,390 | $2,390 |
| Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU | $75,119 | $75,119 |
| Baylor College of Medicine | $29,697 | $42,793 |
| Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine | $77,607 | $77,607 |
| Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University | $28,225 | $59,665 |
| California Northstate University College of Medicine | $81,901 | $81,901 |
| California University of Science and Medicine-School of Medicine | $79,982 | $79,982 |
| Carle Illinois College of Medicine | $57,713 | $70,831 |
| Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine | $78,526 | $78,526 |
| Central Michigan University College of Medicine | $47,710 | $70,968 |
| Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University | $34,186 | $70,328 |
| Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science College of Medicine | $76,682 | $76,682 |
| Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science | $78,543 | $78,543 |
| Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons | $82,962 | $82,962 |
| Cooper Medical School of Rowan University | $50,830 | $76,932 |
| Creighton University School of Medicine | $74,628 | $74,628 |
| CUNY School of Medicine | $41,911 | $69,571 |
| Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell | $68,648 | $68,648 |
| Drexel University College of Medicine | $79,275 | $79,275 |
| Duke University School of Medicine | $78,442 | $78,442 |
| East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine | $42,858 | $53,802 |
| Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University | $43,506 | $65,832 |
| Emory University School of Medicine | $65,838 | $65,838 |
| Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine | $41,816 | $76,314 |
| Florida State University College of Medicine | $30,271 | $68,278 |
| Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University | $70,599 | $70,599 |
| Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama | $39,655 | $74,888 |
| Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth | $79,424 | $79,424 |
| Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine | $70,494 | $77,448 |
| George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences | $77,080 | $77,080 |
| Georgetown University School of Medicine | $81,130 | $81,130 |
| Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine | $84,425 | $84,425 |
| Harvard Medical School | $80,729 | $80,729 |
| Howard University College of Medicine | $62,924 | $62,924 |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | $83,157 | NA |
| Indiana University School of Medicine | $45,907 | $73,448 |
| Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo | $49,846 | $74,566 |
| Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine | $72,448 | $72,448 |
| Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California | $79,713 | $79,713 |
| Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV | $42,364 | $75,983 |
| Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University | $60,560 | $64,136 |
| Loma Linda University School of Medicine | $71,832 | $71,832 |
| Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans | $40,375 | $68,553 |
| Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport | $33,146 | $66,560 |
| Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine | $76,528 | $76,528 |
| Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine | $27,662 | $62,246 |
| Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine | $70,084 | $70,084 |
| McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | $29,603 | $37,258 |
| Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University | $35,191 | $67,497 |
| Medical College of Wisconsin | $73,607 | $77,077 |
| Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine | $44,989 | $74,104 |
| Meharry Medical College | $64,987 | $64,987 |
| Mercer University School of Medicine | $48,895 | NA |
| Michigan State University College of Human Medicine | $36,864 | $64,688 |
| Morehouse School of Medicine | $65,114 | $65,114 |
| New York Medical College | $77,683 | $77,683 |
| Northeast Ohio Medical University | $56,129 | $102,657 |
| Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine | $82,304 | $82,304 |
| Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine | $78,260 | $78,260 |
| NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine | $4,350 | $4,350 |
| NYU Grossman School of Medicine | $4,350 | $4,350 |
| Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine | $61,484 | $61,484 |
| Ohio State University College of Medicine | $36,120 | $61,040 |
| Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine | $59,642 | $85,950 |
| Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine | $65,771 | $72,975 |
| Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania | $82,153 | $82,153 |
| Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine | $53,780 | $80,142 |
| Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University | $56,659 | $79,309 |
| Robert Larner, M.D., College of Medicine at the University of Vermont | $44,802 | $75,468 |
| Roseman University College of Medicine | $73,067 | $73,067 |
| Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center | $66,238 | $66,238 |
| Rutgers New Jersey Medical School | $52,650 | $81,126 |
| Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School | $52,458 | $80,934 |
| Saint Louis University School of Medicine | $72,240 | $72,240 |
| San Juan Bautista School of Medicine | $39,606 | $49,606 |
| Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University | $76,368 | $76,368 |
| Southern Illinois University School of Medicine | $43,901 | NA |
| Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah | $52,257 | $94,987 |
| Stanford University School of Medicine | $79,147 | $79,147 |
| State University of New York Upstate Medical University Alan and Marlene Norton College of Medicine | $55,404 | $80,124 |
| SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine | $54,852 | $79,572 |
| Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine | $22,998 | $36,098 |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine | $26,526 | $41,647 |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine | $26,924 | $40,024 |
| The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine | $25,880 | $41,820 |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine | $30,236 | $45,652 |
| The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences | $43,498 | $79,327 |
| The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University | $80,037 | $80,037 |
| Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine at Belmont University | $72,877 | $72,877 |
| Tufts University School of Medicine | $78,738 | $78,738 |
| Tulane University School of Medicine | $82,790 | $82,790 |
| Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine | $44,683 | $56,720 |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine | $40,844 | $71,348 |
| University of Arizona College of Medicine | $43,790 | $63,443 |
| University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix | $44,131 | $63,462 |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine | $42,162 | $76,226 |
| University of California, Davis, School of Medicine | $56,275 | $68,520 |
| University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine | $50,778 | $63,023 |
| University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine | $52,763 | $65,008 |
| University of California, Riverside School of Medicine | $47,876 | $60,121 |
| University of California, San Diego School of Medicine | $51,776 | $64,021 |
| University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine | $53,441 | $65,686 |
| University of Central Florida College of Medicine | $33,236 | $60,110 |
| University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences The Pritzker School of Medicine | $72,082 | $72,082 |
| University of Cincinnati College of Medicine | $38,469 | $57,327 |
| University of Colorado School of Medicine | $52,056 | $78,011 |
| University of Connecticut School of Medicine | $52,922 | $81,107 |
| University of Florida College of Medicine | $39,689 | $51,945 |
| University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine | $43,177 | $77,833 |
| University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine | $27,726 | $40,826 |
| University of Illinois College of Medicine | $54,545 | $88,445 |
| University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine | $39,313 | $60,712 |
| University of Kansas School of Medicine | $43,314 | $73,806 |
| University of Kentucky College of Medicine | $42,542 | $77,638 |
| University of Louisville School of Medicine | $52,631 | $77,939 |
| University of Maryland School of Medicine | $50,582 | $82,906 |
| University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine | $52,752 | $83,178 |
| University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine | $61,817 | $61,817 |
| University of Michigan Medical School | $62,934 | $83,772 |
| University of Minnesota Medical School | $48,973 | $71,644 |
| University of Mississippi School of Medicine | $42,336 | NA |
| University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine | $49,786 | $97,328 |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine | $48,756 | $92,705 |
| University of Nebraska College of Medicine | $47,153 | $61,629 |
| University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine | $43,933 | $72,636 |
| University of New Mexico School of Medicine | $24,095 | $52,331 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine | $38,646 | $66,971 |
| University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences | $40,346 | $70,939 |
| University of Oklahoma College of Medicine | $39,484 | $74,780 |
| University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine | $72,250 | $77,526 |
| University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine | $19,686 | $37,186 |
| University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry | $80,570 | $80,570 |
| University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia | $48,612 | $92,874 |
| University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville | $48,692 | $92,954 |
| University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine | $37,526 | $83,656 |
| University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine | $43,106 | $62,602 |
| University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School | $26,106 | $41,170 |
| University of Texas Medical Branch John Sealy School of Medicine | $30,431 | $45,597 |
| University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine | $24,970 | $38,070 |
| University of Texas Southwestern Medical School | $28,560 | $41,660 |
| University of Virginia School of Medicine | $59,154 | $73,102 |
| University of Washington School of Medicine | $57,968 | $102,319 |
| University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health | $44,392 | $62,514 |
| USF Health Morsani College of Medicine | $33,726 | $57,036 |
| Vanderbilt University School of Medicine | $76,877 | $76,877 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine | $45,072 | $70,730 |
| Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine | $67,597 | $67,597 |
| Wake Forest University School of Medicine | $71,924 | $71,924 |
| Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine | $45,012 | NA |
| Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine | $74,693 | $74,693 |
| Wayne State University School of Medicine | $50,468 | $78,717 |
| Weill Cornell Medicine | $84,386 | $84,386 |
| West Virginia University School of Medicine | $40,121 | $77,057 |
| Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine | $69,800 | $69,800 |
| Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine | $52,034 | $79,196 |
| Yale School of Medicine | $79,346 | $79,346 |
†Excludes costs that are effectively zero thanks to general scholarships or tuition waivers.
‡Some schools have multiple campuses and/or multiple programs.
Schools With Waived Costs
Certain medical school programs are tuition-free or offer tuition waivers. In such cases, the student’s financial responsibilities usually include administrative costs and living expenses.
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine offers a scholarship and subsidy that covers the full cost of their tuition and health insurance ($74,825 for AY 2026-27).
- A former professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine donated $1 billion to effectively eliminate tuition for all students beginning in fall 2024.
- Students whose family incomes fall below $300,000 receive free tuition at Johns Hopkins University Medical School thanks to a $1 billion donation.
- Other medical schools that offer generous financial aid packages include (but are not limited to):
- Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine has granted students full tuition waivers since opening in 2020.
- Cornell University’s Weill Cornell Medicine offers debt-free need based financial aid that includes full-ride grants.
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine is always tuition-free.
Additional Costs
Including the cost of living while in medical school, there are additional costs such as entrance exams and applications for aspiring students, as well as licensing and residency interviews for upcoming and new graduates. Most medical students leave school with some educational debt.
- Registration for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is a medical school application requirement, costs $355 for 2026 testing dates.
- Most schools use the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®), which costs $180 for the first school and $48 for each additional school in 2027.
- Aspiring medical students applied to an average of 19.5 schools for the 2025-26 academic year.
- Federal origination loan fees for AY 2026-27 are 4.228% for Graduate PLUS Loans and 1.057% for Stafford loans.
- The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), which medical school students take in their 2nd and 4th years, costs $695 per exam in 2026.
Sources
- Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Data & Reports
- Med School Insiders, How Many Medical Schools Are in the United States?
- National Bureau of Economic Research, The Costs of and Net Returns to College Major
- National Center for Education Data Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Cost of Attendance
- Georgetown University Office of Advancement, The Feed
- Cornell University, Debt Free Medical Education
- Uniformed Services University F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, MD FAQ
- Federal Student Aid, Interest Rates and Fees
- National Board of Medical Examiners, Taking The United States Medical Licensing Examination®
- Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Full Tuition Support