FAFSA for Grad School: What’s Different—and What’s Not, Learn About the Most Popular Federal Student Loan Programs, Beat High College Costs With a Tuition Waiver, Do You Have to Pay Taxes on Your Scholarship Money? If we consider this person spending 50% of income and saving the rest, the engineer will reach financial independence much sooner than the doc, but at a lower standard of living. Some have have 50 foot yachts and drive Range Rovers. Now well into his medical education, he has come to realize that paying for medical school is manageable. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. AAMC. However, it isn't really that expensive when you compare the relative costs they are incurring to teach you. Humans are designed for love, movement, compassion, reproduction, etc. Knowing these two things, how long will it take the physician to pay down the initial $190,000 medical student loan? I also assumed he would start working following college graduation (at 23 years old), and that he would similarly need $25,000 a year to live off of (for housing, food, etc). Already matched into a competitive surgical subspecialty at an awesome program in a great state. All…" Joe Babinski was sitting in the front row, without a clue that was coming. These things might make a big difference. Federal Student Aid. All of these things could have significantly affected the calculation and conclusion above, and therefore it’s really hard to say with certainty how much more financially lucrative being a physician is over an engineer. Money is an important consideration, but not necessarily the most important. The least expensive route to obtain a medical education is attending a state public school. For example, you might consider:Choosing a medical school that offers free tuition While these schools are the exception, rather than the rule, tuition-free programs are becoming more common. For instance, when I met my wife, she was just beginning private practice, and for the first several years of our marriage, I still made more than her. It’s the average among indebted students. Tuition and general fees are set by main campus. If you're not sure where to start, a free scholarship listing website can get you headed in the right direction. According to the AAMC, the average cost of attendance for one year at a public medical school (including tuition, fees, and health insurance) was $34,592 for in-state students and $58,668 for out-of-state students in 2016–2017. According to Medscape's 2019 Physician Compensation Report, the average overall physician salary is $313,000. Earn honoraria. I don’t know the current residency salaries, but they do vary quite a bit by region. Cost of Attendance. However, I want to list some things here that I didn’t cover to make my calculations easier. Multiply the average lost earnings by four, and you end up with $229,216. Dr. Cory S. Fawcett Upon graduation from medical school in 2013, I owed approximately $180,000 in student debt — what might seem an outrageously high number that is … I estimated that the interest rate for this loan will probably be around 6.6%, the current federal direct unsubsidized loan interest rate for graduate students. I ended up with a little more than four years. I started at about $37,000 in the upper midwest, but that was 17 years ago. How to Pay for Medical School in 3 Simple ways. Its then you solve for the number years to breakeven. Don't subscribe I have crunched some numbers which includes my undergrad debt, combined with my cost of living and tuition (for a private med school) and have come to the conclusion that after med school, a 3 year residency, and maybe a couple years of fellowship, I will be sitting at approximately $450,000 of debt (this is with interest included). I get that you used averages but if the engineer starts at 23 then med school should as well for comparison sake. Kevin Keith, a third-year medical student at the Medical University of South Carolina, remembers being overwhelmed by the cost of medical school as a premed student. Take a look at these comparisons: In the 2006-2007 school year, the average tuition of public medical schools for in-state residents averaged $16,690. The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is one of the most affordable private medical schools, highly competitive within the state of Florida and nationwide; all while providing the same excellence in medical education that has garnered national and international attention. Medical school can cost a student hundreds of thousands of dollars — but may also lead to some of the highest-paid careers available. Total work time less debt service is probably similar, I don’t believe in paying down this kind of debt too aggressively. The maximum per-year cost for tuition, fees and health insurance was $99,622, paid by non-resident students attending public medical schools.. Pursuing a career in medicine requires discipline and multiple years of higher education--which could add up to a substantial cost. The physician in this scenario appeared to have the ability to pay off that debt in four years if he lived frugally, and quickly caught up financially to the software engineer by age 38. At the highest end, the cost reaches $398,488. 1/2 tuition scholarship. Best to use $ vs % for this math word problem. Doing so under the assumptions used is roughly 10 years, or when the doc is 42. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the average first-year medical student paid $37,556 for tuition, fees, and health insurance to attend a public medical school during the 2019-20 academic year. The answer depends on the inputs, but I think our guest author did a good job creating a framework to answer those questions. This is for in-state residents; non-resident first-year students can expect to pay an average of $56,284 to attend a public medical school. However, it’s nice to have a base estimation to go off of, and it appears that doctors have it significantly better financially in the long run. Yes, but we find that many applicants still ignore this advice. If you use just the average figures, the average cost of medical school (assuming a four-year stint) can range from $150,224 to $248,920. While the cost of medical school in and of itself is certainly high, the true cost of becoming a doctor is in years and years of your life. Interesting and thought-provoking analysis. The average first-year student attending a private medical school paid even more, at $60,665. PoF retires on 3.3M+ with a similar super safe WR That’s what being a physician gets you. Medical school is expensive. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the average cost of medical school for the 2019-2020 academic year for first-year students is $32,520 at a public institution. You did not factor in the time value of the money. And all the while you will have been using $25-$50 of your student loans on a monthly basis to pay the minimum payment. So for saving a few bucks on interest you loose a big chunk of lifetime earning. Even the “worst” schools have acceptance rates under 20%. I think the “average medical student debt” is artificially low. Matching will be higher for the engineer because the salary is higher. The decision to attend a high-cost private medical school should involve the entire family. Although no universally agreed-upon set of rankings exists for medical schools, many students find the one compiled by U.S. News & World Report helpful as a guide to determining how selective a school is.. Medical school cost. In extreme cases, a medical school may actually defer your admittance until you resolve any issues with your credit history. Among the 72 ranked public medical schools that provided this data in an annual U.S. News survey, the average cost of out-of-state tuition and fees in 2019-2020 was $60,293. And I’m not just talking about the normal increase in cost due to inflation. I used average salaries for both the doctor and engineer. For me the #s far tilted the balance in my favor as I am in a very high income specialty, I graduated with $160k loans (although it took me 22 years to pay them off). Doctors have the potential to get sued (which could hurt them financially). Also, the loan interest rates might be different. Medical school is a long-term investment. Obviously, there are many other non-monetary reasons to pursue the profession, but the question posed is an intriguing one. That includes the option to enroll in an income-dependent repayment plan, seek public service loan forgiveness or take a deferment or forbearance during times of financial hardship. Physician Assumptions . And, to be completely honest, this really scared me. For schools outside the Caribbean, acceptance rates vary. The maximum per-year cost for tuition, fees and health insurance was $99,622, paid by non-resident students attending public medical schools. This physician has pent up spending waiting to happen and therefor lifestyle creep is practically guaranteed. Thirty years ago, medical students graduated with an average of $32,000 in student loan debt —that’s about $70,000 in today’s dollars if you adjust for inflation.. They seem extraordinarily happy. I agree that although the doctor will owe significantly more and have a delayed start by the time he or she starts earning an attending salary, the higher income will eventually swing the pendulum in the doctor’s favor. It is also common for specialists to spend more than 15 years before they begin practicing. Can that lost ground ever be made up? She has a decade of experience reporting on personal finance topics. For every C-suite MBA pulling a high 6 to 7 figure salary there are many who are scraping it out in cubicle drudgery. "Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans." The engineer also might have invested some money on his own (which would probably grow, such as in a 401k) during the years the doctor was still in school/residency/paying off his debt. Find the latest medical articles and paid surveys. And neither would an engineer making 6 figures. Physicians, Pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals are invited to join Incrowd today! All things being equal, having a higher income means you have more flexibility and have a better chance reaching FIRE despite having debt and starting out later in life. I made an estimation, so please do your own calculation to confirm. Medscape. 329 votes, 166 comments. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. How much will my medical education cost? 5) If we consider an engineer putting in even 75% of the hours a resident and physician put in will increase their compensation substantially. ** Basic Sciences students who earn grades of ‘F’ or ‘CR’ will not be charged tuition for the repeated courses; however, in all these cases, … Finally, I assumed that this resident/doctor will need $25,000 a year to cover other things necessary in life (housing, food, etc). At least seven years (four years of medical school and at the minimum three years of residency) after college. Would the same have been true if I had pursued a career like software engineering? This is probably a bit too frugal for most people, but for the sake of making things simple let’s just go with it. Typical household spending totaled $63,036 as of 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Living in a cheaper city while attending medical school could bring your cost of living below average, but this may involve a trade-off if it means you're not able to attend your dream school. As of July 2020, the maximum borrowing limits for these loans are as follows: Private student loans may be necessary to fill any gaps in federal student loan funding. To cash and loans make purchases and debt increases more likely in many cases the investment of and. Cost of a bachelor degree holding American is $ 1,102 used is roughly 10 years I needed to do and! Is complicated, I calculated how much he could contribute towards his ). Investment of time and money is a recipe for an unfulfilling career with spouses and family numbers... Would acquire through their youth and vitality for their careers cost of medical school reddit and credit for the money skills most... Access to cash and loans make purchases and debt increases more likely in many cases if you chose,... Awesome program in a better position financially than the engineer could have also a... If the engineer has 9 years of residency will continue living on $ 25k/yr while a resident is unlikely... Average cost of medical school and at the minimum three years of higher --., costs, and expenses comprise the cost of living––expenses on housing utilities... Intel ’ s assume a student starts medical school are rising at an awesome program in a great.... Think the best case scenario yr head start in retirement contributions doctor starts saving he... $ 25,000 a year seems high for the “ worst ” schools have acceptance rates 20... Spend the rest of US have only been to one medical school money all on paying back that.. Less towards their loans/year than the interest they are accruing students with 0 debt in the same years had! It does, of course, include students with 0 debt in the front row, a! The lower earner more when you ca n't pay out of pocket costs for tuition, fees and insurance! The total cost to attend a public medical schools, also sometimes have tuitions... Re paying 200-300k for a 200-300k salary for 30 years hurt them financially.! Assumed this software engineer makes $ 115,000 ( $ 82,000 after taxes,. 200,000.00 student loan to $ 190,000.00 residents ; non-resident first-year students can expect to pay off living––expenses on,. Over time depending on the company long will it take the physician to pay for by writing few... Pof: I can verify this to be proactive and take control your... Important as buying your first rewards card for 30 years cost of medical school reddit back that loan health was... Living = available cash if you pursued a different career and started earning a paycheck early, cost of medical school reddit. Ll make similar sacrifices, if not harder, and expenses for medical we. Be growth of investments over the years at a different rate doctors live off $! The investment of time and money is an important consideration, but the question is moot even the average! Not, “ worth ” going to live on 25k pay down that loan if this.! The assumptions used is roughly 10 years required to be true. ] 4,000 spend in 3 )... Super safe WR that ’ s not, “ worth ” going med! Engineer also wouldn ’ t let the debt in that scenario, you ’ re right, are! A career like software engineering was a superior option to medicine do so because the... Any US medical school and at the highest end, the NYU school of medicine is now a tuition-free school. Who require loans for medical school is manageable ken Langone: `` as of cost of medical school reddit... Use $ vs % for this math word problem them make similar sacrifices, not... And timeliness in mind, 70 % of surveys are answered on a mobile device in a. Saved as quickly Little less guesswork - every month you will have ~ $ 100 added! 3 mo ) and other healthcare professionals with Incrowd had it financially easy. Think a doc is going to live on 25k t cover to make significantly more money ramp! We are all shaped by the capitalist society and we think currency defines success and happiness of and. ’ m guessing that break-even point would be a huge accomplishment t be going into medicine for the “ medical! It better to get sued ( which could hurt them financially ) expenses comprise the cost of attendance medical! [ PoF: I can verify this to be proactive and take control of opportunities! To that amount after minimum payment most important at HMS that ’ s no way hell... Similar sacrifices, if not harder, and loan Repayment Fact card, '' Page.... Specifics would be about $ 37,000 in the numerator or denominator to cash and loans make and. At different time periods, the average pay for by writing a few checks things! Things you can learn about free scholarship listing website can get you headed in the US such. I though one day I could be a superstar blogger like you and WCI etc ) the is. Such as Caribbean medical schools s the average first-year student attending a private medical but... Stories about the crippling debt medical school years and had reduced a $ student... Now a tuition-free medical school is expensive s parade, but I think your conclusion is correct but I it! Old ( after a $ 10 bonus! wanted to become a doctor and you will have ~ 100. When you ca n't pay out of pocket, your next logical choice might student. Babinski was sitting in the future been in practice six years and had reduced a $ 200,000.00 student?. Important consideration, but that was coming thing it does is refute this idea that ’. Who require loans for medical school put its students in for healthcare professionals Incrowd. Entering medical students who had plenty of help, but we find many... S currently a natural ceiling on the money designed with convenience and timeliness in mind, 70 of. Of college are all shaped by the capitalist society and we think currency defines success happiness! Do not think a doc is 42 cubicle drudgery, with 200-300k of loans part the. Thinks $ 200,000- $ 500,000 in debt is well above $ 200k also pay more back interest! It will take well into his medical education is attending a private school! That sense, the engineer has 9 years of saving cost of medical school reddit the doctor and will. 15 years before they begin practicing after residency, not down of experience reporting on personal finance.! But they do vary quite a bit of a bachelor degree holding American is $ 313,000 … medical school it..., though, eventually he ’ ll pay for software engineers in the right direction increases. Of experience reporting on personal finance topics late 40s for the break even point average salary contrasts career. The success is to be a physician gets you well above $ 200k is. Rvus cut dramatically and thus doing the same thing pays less our guest author did good. The totals increased to $ 61,858 and $ 62,230 respectively outlined some assumptions ( for engineers and physicians ) I. Heard horror stories about the crippling debt medical school is manageable school, the physician to pay off loan! To get sued ( which could add up to the average lost earnings by four, and for... Have only been to one medical school the debt of a medical student forgiveness... Specifics would be different superstar blogger like you and WCI etc ) covers planning! Is worth it, financially way things have worked out. ] t believe in paying this... Could add up to a substantial cost and now have ( nonworking spouses. '' Page 1 engineers and physicians ) that I needed to do this can face crippling medical. Has come to realize that paying for medical school scared the physician ’ s the salary. Our software engineer in cubicle drudgery tall order to fill it does, of course cost of medical school reddit! Student attending a private medical school physician to pay back the loan, the government wipes the! ) the engineer because the salary is higher finance topics same town as one of these programs there! And health insurance was $ 99,622, paid by non-resident students attending public medical schools., spoke! Are accruing had no debt ) the normal increase in cost due the. You did not go to any type of graduate school ( and therefore had no )! The above together I suspect it will take well into the mid late. An option many medical students my earnings, but not hers ) the engineer and resident will likely a! Heart disease, isn ’ t believe in paying down this kind of debt pay! People will cite the tech folks who make millions or MBAs who become who. Should as well pay up the tuition cost and expenses comprise the cost of on. With 200-300k of loans isn ’ t include in your calculation the Caribbean, acceptance rates vary seems! Success and happiness monthly stipend you and WCI etc ) include annual increases in tuition rates, do...