Same degree. Three sticker prices. The cheapest is $74,582 less.
Over 4 years the least expensive of these three schools costs $74,582 less than the most expensive.
Four years of tuition, housing, and books for three real schools, with 3% yearly increases and before any aid. Change a school or where the student lives and watch the totals move.
Sample figures from College Scorecard and CollegeBoard, 2024-25, on-campus housing. Some states have regional tuition exchange programs that can lower the out-of-state price. Whether you qualify depends on your state of residence, the school, and sometimes your major. Not financial advice.
The whole cost, line by line.
Three line items from the calculator, computed the same way it computes them for you.
Where you live can change the price by thousands.
Public schools charge different rates to in-state and out-of-state students. The calculator shows both side by side and totals the full four years, with tuition inflation included.
University of Utah, one year of tuition
In-state tuition$8,995
Out-of-state tuition$29,345
Difference per year$20,350
Four-year cost, in-state$94,395
Four-year cost, out-of-state$179,531
Know the monthly payment before you borrow.
Standard 10-year, extended 20-year, and income-driven plans, side by side. The figures update as you change the loan amount, the rate, or the school.
Example: a loan on a standard 10-year plan
Amount borrowed$60,000
Interest rate6.5%
Total interest over 10 years$21,755
Monthly payment$681
See whether the debt fits the paycheck.
The ROI tab compares your total debt with what graduates in 19 career paths typically earn, and rates the risk in plain terms.