How Much Does Medical School Cost?

Lyss Welding
By
Updated on September 11, 2024
Edited by
Fact-checked by Marley Rose
Medical school costs an average of roughly $162,000-$265,000. Read about additional fees and how much it costs to apply.
Black male medical student carrying a backpack is walking outside on his way to class.Credit: Image Credit: Halfpoint Images / Moment / Getty Images


Data Summary

  • checkMedical school costs an average of roughly $40,500 to $66,200 a year in tuition alone.Note Reference [1]
  • checkWith tuition, fees, and health insurance, four years of medical school can cost students roughly $162,000-$265,000.Note Reference [1]
  • checkOver the past decade, medical school costs have risen roughly 25%.Note Reference [1]
  • checkOn average, medical school tuition costs about $34,550 per year for in-state residents at public colleges.Note Reference [1]
  • checkMedical school tuition costs an average of roughly $58,000-60,000 at private schools.Note Reference [1]
  • checkApplying to medical school may cost several hundred to several thousand dollars.
  • checkAbout two-thirds of medical students receive scholarships or grants for school.Note Reference [2]
  • checkSome medical schools offer tuition-free programs or waive other costs associated with attending.

Becoming a doctor takes years of preparation, practice, and studying. One crucial step is attending medical school.

Medical school costs may influence which program a student chooses. In an Association of American Medical Colleges survey, 74% of medical students said cost of attendance was important or very important to their school choice.Note Reference [1]

This report covers the average cost of medical school, including how much students spend on the application process.

Average Yearly Cost of Medical School

The average cost of medical school ranges from around $40,500 to $66,200 per year.Note Reference [1] Average costs tend to be lowest for in-state residents at public colleges.

Average Annual Tuition

Average medical school tuition tends to be highest at private colleges and public colleges for out-of-state students and lower at public schools for in-state students.

Average Medical School Tuition Per Year, 2023-2024
Institution TypeAverage Annual Tuition
Public, State Residents$34,550
Public, Nonresidents$58,010
Private, State Residents$58,610
Private, Nonresidents$60,010
Note: Tuition amounts have been rounded to the nearest $10.
Source: Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)Note Reference [1]

Average Total Cost

Besides tuition, medical students may also need to pay health insurance and student fees — e.g., for using laboratories or student centers. Health insurance and fees cost about $5,000-$7,000 per year, on average.

The table below shows medical students’ average costs including tuition, health insurance, and other fees. However, it does not include costs for books, supplies, or living expenses.

Over four years, students at private schools and out-of-state students at public schools pay close to $100,000 more than in-state students at public schools, on average.

Average Total Cost of Medical School, 2023-2024
Institution TypeAverage Total Cost Per YearAverage Total Cost for Four Years
Public, State Residents$40,490$161,960
Public, Nonresidents$64,470$257,880
Private, State Residents$64,730$258,920
Private, Nonresidents$66,170$264,680
Source: AAMCNote Reference [1]

Most and Least Expensive Medical Schools

The lists below rank the country’s most and least expensive medical schools for first-time students in 2021-2022, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. The average cost listed includes tuition, student fees, and health insurance.

Most Expensive Medical Schools

Most Expensive Medical Schools
RankingSchool NameTotal Annual Cost
1University of Washington School of Medicine$96,490
2Northeast Ohio Medical University$96,030
3University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville$91,890
4University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia$91,840
5Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah$88,320
6University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine$88,300
7University of Illinois College of Medicine$86,700
8University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine$83,780
9Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine$82,330
10University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine$81,380
Source: AAMCNote Reference [1]

Least Expensive Medical Schools

The country’s two least expensive medical schools do not charge students tuition, fees, or health insurance costs.

  • Uniformed Services University is a federal institution that trains physicians to work in the U.S. medical corps.
  • The Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine has waived all four years of its costs for students entering in 2020-2024.Note Reference [4]
  • New York University Schools also began offering medical students scholarships to cover the full cost of tuition in 2021-22.Note Reference [5], Note Reference [6]

The average cost listed below includes health insurance, which may be waived for some students.

Least Expensive Medical Schools
RankingSchool NamePublic or PrivateState Resident StatusAverage Cost Per Year
1Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of MedicinePrivateResidents and Nonresidents$0
1Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hébert School of MedicinePublicResidents and Nonresidents$0
3New York University Grossman School of MedicinePrivateResidents and Nonresidents$4,150
4New York University Grossman Long Island School of MedicinePrivateResidents and Nonresidents$4,350
5University of Puerto Rico School of MedicinePublicResidents$19,590
6Texas A&M University School of MedicinePublicResidents$21,760
7University of New Mexico School of MedicinePublicResidents$23,790
8University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of MedicinePublicResidents$24,050
9University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical SchoolPublicResidents$24,530
10Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of MedicinePublicResidents$24,580
Source: AAMCNote Reference [1]

How Much Does It Cost to Apply to Medical School?

One medical school application costs $175.Note Reference [7] However, applying to medical school takes testing, interviews, and supplemental applications, which can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Here are some of the costs of applying to medical school explained:

MCAT Cost: $330+

Medical schools generally require prospective students to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to apply.

Application Fee: $175-$1,500

Most medical students use The American Medical College Application Service® to create and submit applications. This service charges $175 to send an application to your first school and $46 for each additional school.Note Reference [7]

Also, many medical schools require applicants to submit a second or supplementary application.

  • In 2023, first-year medical students completed a median of 19 supplemental applications.Note Reference [3]
  • They spent a median of $1,500 on supplemental applications.Note Reference [3]

Interviews: Varies

Typically, part of the admission process for medical school involves interviewing with representatives from the school. Students may need to cover costs associated with interviews, such as travel, lodging, meals, and technology.

In 2023:Note Reference [3]

  • 56% of first-year medical students reported having zero costs associated with interviews.
  • The median amount of money students spent on medical school interviews was $0.
  • About 26% of first-year students spent $1-$500 on interview expenses.
  • 17.5% of first-year students reported spending over $500 on interview expenses.

Additional Assessments or Exams

Many colleges require students to complete additional school-by-school assessments or exams, such as Casper, a situational judgment test.Note Reference [8] Students may need to pay additional fees to take and submit these assessments.

Medical School Grants and Scholarships

In 2019, 62% of medical students received scholarships or grants for their education.Note Reference [2] Students generally received more funding to attend private schools than public schools.

Average Cost of Medical School Over Time

Over the past decade, the average cost of medical school has increased by about 25%. More specifically, between 2013 and 2023, the average cost of medical school has increased roughly:Note Reference [1]

  • 28% for state residents at public schools.
  • 18% nonresidents at public schools.
  • 28% for state residents at private schools.
  • 27% for nonresidents at private schools.

Frequently Asked Questions About Medical School Costs

Medical school is costly. On average, one year of medical school tuition for in-state students at a public university is about $34,550.Note Reference [1]

The average cost of four years of medical school — including tuition, fees, and health insurance — is roughly $162,000-$265,000.Note Reference [1]


References

  1. Tuition and Student Fees for First-Year Students. Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). November 2023. (back to footnote 1 in content ⤶)
  2. Youngclaus J, Frense JA. Physician Education Debt and the Cost to Attend Medical Schools: 2020 Update. Washington, DC: AAMC. October 2020. (back to footnote 2 in content ⤶)
  3. Matriculating Student Questionnaire: 2023 All Schools Summary Report. AAMC. December 2023. (back to footnote 3 in content ⤶)
  4. A Tuition-Free Medical School. Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. 2024. (back to footnote 4 in content ⤶)
  5. Financial Aid for MD Students. NYU Long Island School of Medicine. 2024. (back to footnote 5 in content ⤶)
  6. Cost of Attendance. NYU Grossman School of Medicine. 2024. (back to footnote 6 in content ⤶)
  7. The Cost of Applying to Medical School. AAMC. Accessed June 2024. (back to footnote 7 in content ⤶)
  8. Medical School Admission Requirements™ Report for Applicants and Advisors: Additional Required Assessments 2025. AAMC. 2024. (back to footnote 8 in content ⤶)
  9. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physicians and Surgeons. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2024. (back to footnote 9 in content ⤶)