It’s no surprise that medical school is pricey. The most recent statistics by the American Medical Student Association estimate that over 86 percent of graduates in the medical field carry educational debt, compared with overall 70 percent of debt-carrying graduates across the board. Plus, the amount of debt is growing. In 2011, the average medical student debt was $173,000. That figure rose to $178,000 in 2012, and to $190,000 by 2016.
The good news is that the payoff can be significant for successful physicians, with average salaries at $201,840 in 2016; $173,860 for dentists, according the US Library of Congress’ Congressional Research Service, which provides policy and legal analysis to committees and members of the House and Senate.
Tuition and fees vary greatly from school to school, but invariably are higher for students who haven’t yet established residency in the states where they’ll study. If you’re a medical school hopeful planning to study beyond your state line, and if finances are a concern, you’re in luck. US News & World Report recently released its list of the top 10 most affordable schools, along with their out-of-state tuition and fees totals for the 2017-2018 school year. Each charges significantly less than the average $55,000 charged by most public medicals schools that submitted data.
The top-ranked affordable schools, seven of which are located in Texas, are:
- University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL – $31,063
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX – $31,194
- University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX – $31,398
- University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston (McGovern), Houston, TX – $31,754
- University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio, San Antonio, TX – $33,220
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX – $33,621
- University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, Galveston, TX – $34,113
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX – $34,854
- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH – $39,089
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI – $43,545
No matter what a student pays, the investment in a medical education is an important one. WOLFPACC can assure that you’ll maximize your investment with innovative review courses designed to help you ace your USMLE and COMLEX exams. Call 904-209-3140 to find out how.
