The Average Cost of College Education
In the current job market, it is very important to have a college education. Attending college is an investment with high costs involved. The average cost of obtaining a college education depends on whether you obtain a two year or four year degree, whether one attends college in state or out of state and whether one chooses a public university or a private university. Room and board and books are additional expenses.
A college degree is a great investment in one's future, and it opens the door to many opportunities when one enters the work force- but earning a college degree can be expensive. The average cost of a college education can vary due to a number of factors: whether one obtains a two year degree or a four year degree, whether one attends a private university or a public university, and whether one attends school in state or out of state.
The least expensive option for a college education is attending a community college and obtaining a two year Associates degree. The average community college charges $2,713 per year in tuition and fees, making the total average cost of an Associates degree $5,426.
Universities charge different amounts of tuition for students that are residents of the state the university is located in compared to students that are from out of state. A public university charges an average of $7,605 per year in tuition for full time in-state students. At this rate, a 4-year Bachelors degree would have an average cost of $30,420 for an in-state student. The average tuition cost per year for a full time out-of-state student is $11,990 at a public university. A Bachelors degree would have an average cost of $47,960 for an out-of-state student.
Private universities tend to have much higher tuition costs than public universities. The average tuition at a private university is $27,293. At this rate, a Bachelors degree would have an average cost of $109,172 at a private university.
The above figures factor in the cost of tuition and fees only. Additional expenses that contribute to the cost of a college education are room and board, books and supplies. The cost of these things vary by university, but a student can expect to spend several thousand dollars a year in addition to the cost of tuition.