Key takeaways
- Going to medical school comes at a steep cost, with costs for attending a four-year medical school averaging close to $300,000.
- There are also additional costs on top of tuition you’ll need to cover if you plan to become a medical doctor.
- More prestigious medical schools typically cost more money, while you can save money attending an in-state medical school.
- To cover medical school costs, you can take out student loans or apply for scholarships.
Medical students often spend more than a decade preparing for the profession between college, medical school, residency and specialization. And this education comes at a cost: A report from the Association of American Medical Colleges found that the median four-year cost at U.S. medical schools exceeds $286,000. This may explain why medical students who took out loans left school with a median debt of $200,000 for a public school degree and $230,000 for private. Here’s everything you need to know about the cost of attending medical school, including ways to reduce the costs.
Average cost of medical school in the United States
But when it comes to medical school costs, there are expenses above and beyond the price of tuition.
| Additional medical school expenses | Cost |
|---|---|
| MCAT registration fee | $345 |
| MCAT prep courses | Varies based on provider. Some courses can be found for under $400, while others exceed $3,000 |
| Medical school application fee | Many medical schools rely upon the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) application service, through which prospective students can submit a single set of application materials that will be distributed to all the schools the applicant wishes.The 2025 fee for this service is $175 for the first school an application is sent to and $46 for each subsequent school.Application fees at schools not participating in the AAMC submission process vary. |
| United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) fee | $1,020 each to register for Step 1 and Step 2 of the examInternational test delivery surcharge: $205 for Step 1 of the exam and $230 for Step 2 of the exam |
| Textbooks and supplies | $1,000-$2,000 per year |
MCAT
The cost of attending medical school starts with the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which nearly all schools require. The MCAT currently has a $345 registration fee, though the cost goes down to $140 if you qualify for assistance. If you plan on taking prep courses (which is highly recommended), you’ll need to budget for a few thousand dollars more.
Application fees
Most medical schools in the U.S. require students to submit their application through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), which has a fee of $175 for your first application and $46 for each additional school.
According to the AAMC, the average student in the U.S. applies to 16 schools through the AMCAS — meaning you can expect to spend more than $800 in application fees alone. Some medical schools also require a secondary application fee, which Kaplan estimates can range between $30 and $250, although some schools may waive these fees.
USMLE
You’ll also need to factor in the cost of taking the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), a three-step exam. The first- and second-step exams are typically taken when you’re finishing your second and third year of medical school and are required by most schools to start your residency. The third step is taken during your residency and requires you to pass the previous two exams. Each step is charged separately, and the application fees add up to over $2300.
Living expenses
If you relocate to attend a particular school, you’ll need to factor in moving expenses, which can cost anywhere from $883 to $2,569, though the national average is about $1,713. If you opt to live in off-campus housing, you’ll also need to factor in this expense, which can vary based on the region of the country where the school is located.
The cost of attending a public vs. a private medical school
While attending any medical school is expensive, it is cheaper to attend public medical school versus a private one. AAMC research shows that during the 2023-2024 academic year, first-year students at in-state public medical schools paid a median of $73,126 between tuition, fees and living expenses, while those attending private medical schools paid a median of $103,365.
Students at public medical schools also graduate with less student debt than private school students. The median debt of students at public schools who took out loans was $200,000 for the class of 2024, compared to $230,000 for those who took out loans at private schools..
Average cost of tuition, fees and health insurance for first-year students
| Public resident | Private resident | Public nonresident | Private nonresident | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | $31,619 | $50,558 | $54,549 | $52,207 |
| 2014-15 | $32,735 | $52,228 | $56,052 | $53,794 |
| 2015-16 | $34,088 | $54,030 | $57,744 | $55,487 |
| 2016-17 | $34,799 | $55,635 | $58,672 | $56,986 |
| 2017-18 | $35,921 | $57,225 | $60,087 | $58,768 |
| 2018-19 | $36,967 | $58,190 | $60,753 | $59,609 |
| 2019-20 | $37,674 | $58,910 | $61,620 | $60,305 |
| 2020-21 | $38,253 | $59,423 | $59,174 | $59,942 |
| 2021-22 | $39,104 | $61,053 | $62,739 | $62,569 |
| 2022-23 | $39,756 | $62,570 | $63,589 | $64,103 |
| 2023-24 | $40,472 | $64,729 | $64,451 | $66,176 |
| 2024-25 | $41,869 | $67,145 | $66,355 | $68,767 |
How much it costs to attend the top medical schools in the U.S.
The cost of medical school varies not only by the type of institution you attend but also by how prestigious your school is.
Below are the tuition costs at some of the nation’s most well-known medical schools, though it’s worth pointing out that the prices listed below are only for the first year of school. The third and fourth years of medical school typically cost more due to the clinical rotations.
| School | Estimated in-state tuition, fees and insurance for first-year students (2024-25) | Estimated out-of-state tuition, fees and insurance for first-year students (2024-25) |
|---|---|---|
| Baylor College of Medicine | $29,571 | $42,671 |
| Harvard Medical School | $77,423 | $77,423 |
| Johns Hopkins School of Medicine | $70,380 | $70,380 |
| Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine | $80,302 | $80,302 |
| Perelman School of Medicine | $78,897 | $78,897 |
| Stanford University School of Medicine | $100,984 | $100,984 |
| UCSF School of Medicine | $50,537 | $62,782 |
| UNC School of Medicine | $37,726 | $66,042 |
| Yale School of Medicine | $76,763 | $76,763 |
How to pay for medical school
While there’s no denying that medical school is expensive, there are several ways to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Scholarships and grants
Scholarships and grants are considered gift aid (aka money you don’t have to pay back). However, scholarships can be both merit- and need-based, while grants are typically need-based.
A good starting point to look and apply for both scholarships and grants is the AAMC’s aid search engine, where you’ll find dozens of them.
Federal and private student loans
Scholarships and grants can significantly reduce the cost of attending medical school, but they rarely cover all the costs. Student loans are usually the next choice to help you bridge the financial gap.
When borrowing money to pay for school, look at federal student loans first. Federal student loans tend to have lower interest rates and offer income-driven repayment options, in addition to the possibility of forgiveness — all of which aren’t available with private student loans. Unlike private loans, federal student loans also don’t require you to have excellent credit or a stable income to qualify, so almost anyone in good academic standing is eligible for them.
Medical students can apply for two types of federal student loans:
- Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Direct Unsubsidized Loans have an annual borrowing limit of $20,500 and a lifetime borrowing limit of $138,500 for medical students. Their fixed interest rate is 8.08 percent.
- Grad PLUS loans: Grad PLUS loans can be taken out for up to your full cost of attendance, as certified by your school, and currently have a fixed interest rate of 9.08 percent.
Forgiveness programs
Another way of reducing the cost of medical school is looking into forgiveness programs. These programs are typically available through your state and are designed to help you tackle any debt you incurred while in medical school.
However, many forgiveness programs have certain requirements. For example:
- You must relocate to rural areas where there’s a high need for medical professionals or to work in public service, which means that you won’t be earning as much as other doctors in a private practice.
- You’ll also have to commit to some years in that rural area (typically two or more) to be eligible for these programs.
Still, they’re an option worth considering, as you could get a significant portion of your debt forgiven early in your career.
Bottom line
Becoming a doctor requires years of education, including college, medical school, residency and specialization. The cost of medical school is also hefty. The medical school you choose can make a big difference in your final costs, as can deciding to study in-state. To help further defray costs, consider seeking scholarships, grants and forgiveness programs. For those passionate about the medical profession, the payoff for the steep price tag and extensive education requirements is a generous salary and the ability to help others.
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