Average Cost of Medical School

Report Highlights. The cost of medical school education has risen by almost $1,030 every year since 2015.

  • The average total cost of medical school is $230,296
  • The average yearly cost of medical school is $57,574.
  • Total costs vary by institution type and location, ranging from $159,620 (in-state, public school) to $256,412 (out-of-state, private school).

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

Medical School Degree

After obtaining an undergraduate education and a bachelor’s degree, a medical school degree typically takes 4 years to complete. A medical school student studies for one of two degrees, either a Medical Doctor (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). After medical school, a graduate will enter a paid residency period to obtain their license. Residency typically lasts between 3 to 7 years.

  • The average cost of a medical school degree is $230,296.
  • Every year, the average cost of medical school rises by $1,030.
  • Subsequently, the cost of the average 4-year degree rises by $4,120.
  • The average cost of public school education is $213,678.
  • The average cost of private school education is $270,298.
  • On average, an in-state resident pays $216,778 for medical school.
  • On average, an out-of-state resident pays $267,198 for medical school.

Projected Increase in Total Costs on Education Data Initiative

Cost Per Year

The average cost of medical school per year – as with most forms of higher education- is cheaper in-state and at a public university than at an out-of-state, private college. Since 2013 however, the average annual price of an out-of-state education has dropped. In contrast, annual in-state costs for public schools have risen by more than 10%.

  • The average cost of medical school is $60,497 per year.
  • Per year, the average cost of a public medical school is $53,420.
  • Per year, the average cost of a private medical school is $65,575.
  • On average, an in-state resident pays $54,195 a year for medical school.
  • On average, an out-of-state resident pays $66,800 a year for medical school.

Average Annual Cost of Medical School on Education Data Initiative

Cost by School

There are 193 accredited medical school programs in the United States. 38 of these programs award a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree (D.O). 155 of these programs award a Doctor of Medicine Degree (M.D.).

  • New York University Long Island School of Medicine is the cheapest school per year at $3,950 for both in-state and out-of-state residents.
  • Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth is the most expensive school per year at $76,609 for in-state residents.
  • The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia is the most expensive school per year at $94,364 for out-of-state residents.

Name

*Some schools have multiple campuses and/or multiple programs*

Resident – Tuition, Fees, & Health Insurance Cost Nonresident – Tuition, Fees & Health Insurance Cost
Albany Medical College $63,519 $63,519
Albert Einstein College of Medicine $68,227 $68,227
Baylor College of Medicine $27,955 $41,055
Boston University School of Medicine $73,851 $73,851
Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University $26,022 N/A
California Northstate University College of Medicine $71,486 $71,486
California University of Science and Medicine – School of Medicine $71,635 71,635
Carle Illinois College of Medicine $56,588 $69,574
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine $73,380 $72,050
Central Michigan University College of Medicine $44,127 $64,237
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University $33,873 $70,015
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science $66,481 $66,481
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons $75,624 $75,624
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University $44,793 $69,742
Creighton University School of Medicine $68,754 $68,754
CUNY School of Medicine $41,912 $69,572
Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell $62,074 $62,074
Drexel University College of Medicine $67,570 $67,570
Duke University School of Medicine $71,815 $71,815
East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine $41,456 $52,400
Eastern Virginia Medical School $41,964 $65,032
Emory University School of Medicine $58,680 $58,680
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine $41,476 $72,976
Florida State University College of Medicine $32,175 $71,807
Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University $67,855 $67,855
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth $73,941 $73,941
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine $67,468 $74,024
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences $68,850 $68,850
Georgetown University School of Medicine $72,505 $72,505
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine $76,609 $76,609
Harvard Medical School $72,163 $72,163
Howard University College of Medicine $56,002 $56,002
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai $69,029 $69,029
Indiana University School of Medicine $41,497 $67,062
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo $49,939 $71,429
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine $66,232 $66,232
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine N/A N/A
Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California $72,758 $72,758
Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at University of Nevada, Las Vegas $72,758 $72,758
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University $61,217 $64,495
Loma Linda University School of Medicine $65,226 $65,226
Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans $39,400 $67,577
Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport $29,343 $61,166
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine $67,120 $67,120
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine $30,630 $63,988
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine $64,300 $64,300
McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston $24,272 $33,812
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University $33,492 $62,416
Medical College of Wisconsin $62,092 $65,672
Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine $30,535 $50,101
Meharry Medical College $63,688 $63,688
Mercer University School of Medicine $46,596 N/A
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine $50,610 $90,741
Morehouse School of Medicine $52,578 $52,578
New York Medical College $67,443 $67,443
New York University Grossman School of Medicine $3,950 $3,950
New York University Long Island School of Medicine $3,950 $3,950
Northeast Ohio Medical University $49,466 $91,153
Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine $74,590 $74,590
Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine $63,876 $70,935
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine $57,936 $57,936
Ohio State University College of Medicine $34,611 $59,531
Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine $55,510 $80,298
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine $59,288 $59,288
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania $73,293 $73,293
Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine $48,018 $71,565
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University $51,926 $73,416
Robert Larner, M.D., College of Medicine at the University of Vermont $42,370 $69,470
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center $63,428 $63,428
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School $50,070 $74,199
Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School $49,202 $73,331
Saint Louis University School of Medicine $64,472 $64,472
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine $39,046 $49,046
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University $67,686 $67,686
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine $40,724 N/A
Stanford University School of Medicine $70,493 $70,493
State University of New York Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine $50,741 $72,231
State University of New York Upstate Medical University $49,834 $71,324
TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine $25,356 $43,068
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine $21,760 $34,860
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine $24,607 $39,558
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine $24,576 $37,676
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine $25,356 $43,068
The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences $39,432 $71,437
The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University $72,799 $72,799
Tufts University School of Medicine $75,642 $75,642
Tulane University School of Medicine $74,834 $74,834
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine N/A N/A
Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine $41,828 $49,833
University of Alabama School of Medicine $37,434 $68,950
University of Arizona College of Medicine $40,507 $59,701
University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix $39,663 $58,857
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine $39,744 $71,914
University of California, Davis, School of Medicine $48,088 $60,333
University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine $44,583 $56,828
University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine $41,299 $53,544
University of California, Riverside School of Medicine $43,067 $55,312
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine $44,950 $57,195
University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine $45,131 $57,376
University of Central Florida College of Medicine $33,000 $59,874
University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences The Pritzker School of Medicine $65,058 $65,058
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine $36,831 $55,689
University of Colorado School of Medicine $48,116 $74,071
University of Connecticut School of Medicine $48,762 $79,973
University of Florida College of Medicine $39,661 $51,917
University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine $42,652 $77,308
University of Houston College of Medicine $26,374 $40,582
University of Illinois College of Medicine $51,632 $84,812
University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine $37,863 $58,638
University of Kansas School of Medicine $38,785 $67,980
University of Kentucky College of Medicine $41,266 $75,328
University of Louisville School of Medicine $48,377 $71,007
University of Maryland School of Medicine $45,898 $75,574
University of Massachusetts Medical School $45,521 $72,901
University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine $55,657 $55,657
University of Michigan Medical School $53,915 $73,364
University of Minnesota Medical School $44,156 $62,641
University of Mississippi School of Medicine $37,150 N/A
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine $42,458 $82,948
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine $40,039 $58,756
University of Nebraska College of Medicine $41,095 $53,735
University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine N/A N/A
University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine $37,764 $64,412
University of New Mexico School of Medicine $23,238 $51,834
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine $37,410 $65,370
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences $38,274 $67,512
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine $35,067 $70,013
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine $67,144 $69,526
University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine $19,586 $37,086
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry $72,855 $72,855
University of South Alabama College of Medicine $37,402 $70,613
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia $47,599 $91,861
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville $47,596 $91,858
University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine $36,878 $81,708
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine $39,983 $57,267
University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School $24,399 $38,719
University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine $29,361 $44,071
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine $22,952 $36,052
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School $25,778 $38,878
University of Utah School of Medicine $47,804 $87,741
University of Virginia School of Medicine $54,384 $66,814
University of Washington School of Medicine $53,480 $94,364
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health $44,170 $60,998
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine $33,726 $54,916
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine $70,000 $70,000
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine $41,770 $65,744
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine $61,054 $61,054
Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center $66,955 $66,955
Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine $40,910 N/A
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine $70,225 $70,225
Wayne State University School of Medicine $42,869 $70,567
Weill Cornell Medicine $75,118 $75,118
West Virginia University School of Medicine $35,860 $68,665
Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine $66,900 $66,900
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine $43,490 $63,632
Yale School of Medicine $71,647 $71,647

Schools With Waived Costs

Certain schools and programs offer tuition-free education. However, administrative costs and living expenses are still the responsibility of the student. Other schools offer partial tuition waivers based on financial need or academic merit.

  • New York University Grossman School of Medicine covers full tuition at $60,090.
  • Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine covers full tuition and administrative fees.
  • Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine covers full tuition for the first 5 cohorts of the program at $68,788.
  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center: Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons offers the Vagelos Scholarship Program which meets 100% of a student’s demonstrated financial need.
  • Cornell University: Weill Cornell Medicine offers debt-free need-based financial aid under a financial program that offers full-ride grants instead of loans.
  • University of California, Los Angeles UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine offers the Impact and Distinction scholarship which covers the cost of instruction for 10 students each year. Their Scholarship for Excellence covers the full in-state tuition and fees for 50 students yearly.

Cost by Race & Gender

From a 2013 study of medical school debt by race, it was discovered that more than 62% of surveyed medical students anticipated having debt greater than $150,000. Black students were the most likely to have this level of debt than the other 3 races in the survey. Asians were the least likely to reach this level of debt. Men and Women were roughly equal in their response to anticipating high levels of debt.

  • 50.2% of Asians reported anticipating debt over $150,000.
  • 57.2% of Hispanics expected debt of over $150,000.
  • 65.1% of Whites anticipated having debt over $150,000.
  • 77.3% of Blacks expected debt of over $150,000.
  • 63.2% of students in the Other category expected debt of over $150,000.
  • 61.6% of Males anticipated having over $150,000 in debt.
  • 62.5% of Females anticipated having over $150,000 in debt.

Average Medical School Debt by Race on Education Data Initiative

Additional Costs

The average medical student applicant applies to 18 schools within a given year. Since there is a fee to apply to one school and subsequent fees to apply to other schools, an applicant should be aware of how the costs add up. Many other additional costs are associated with exam fees, equipment fees, and living fees while attending medical school.

  • The initial Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) needed to apply for medical school costs $330 per test.
  • The initial application fee is $170 through the AAMC.
  • Each additional application costs $43.
  • The average applicant spends $770 sending out applications.
  • There may also be deposit fees to hold an initial applicant’s spot in the program, these may range anywhere from $500 to $3,000.
  • Interview and travel costs on average $1,000 for clothes, hotel accommodations, flight costs, and food.
  • The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) during the 2nd and 4th years of medical school cost $660 for both Step 1 and Step 2 CK.
  • Students may be asked to provide their own medical equipment and uniform such as an ophthalmoscope which costs anywhere from $400 to over $600.

Sources

  1. Association of American Medical Colleges: Tuition and Student Fees Reports
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, From premed to physician: Pursuing a medical career
  3. The Color of Debt: Racial Disparities in Anticipated Medical Student Debt in the United States
  4. Doctorly.org: Cost vs Reward Of A Physician
  5. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education: It’s Time to Broaden the Conversation About the Student Debt Crisis Beyond Rising Tuition Costs
  6. National Public Radio (NPR): NYU Medical School Plans Free Tuition For Those Studying To Be Doctors
  7. US News: 10 Costs to Expect When Applying to Medical School
  8. AAMC Medical School Diversity Facts and Figures 2016
  9. Med School Insiders: How Many Medical Schools are in the United States?
  10. Coverdell Education Savings Accounts: FAQs | Investment Company Institute