<p>I always hear about the expensive cost of an undergraduate education. However, I have NEVER heard how much a graduate education costs. Perhaps I've spoken with the wrong people.</p>
<p>What would you say is the average cost of an Master degree program? Of a PhD program? I assume that it is all variable depending on the courses of study, and univeristy attended, but still the costs should be somewhat similar, I think.</p>
<p>Anyone? Thanks.</p>
<p>Figure around $400-$500 a credit hour at most state universities (in state) times around 40 credit hours would be between $16,000 and $20,000 for the entire degree. For out of state, roughly double that so around $35,000 for out of state. Private universities I would imagine are in the $40,000 to $50,000 range. This is of course not taking into account fellowships and the like.</p>
<p>don't some employers pay a portion of it sometimes...well at least for the MBA's</p>
<p>PhD programs are free. You read that right. Students in PhD programs are funded by a combination of the university and their supervising professor who gets grants and in turn pays his grad students.</p>
<p>At the better colleges more of the money is given in terms of scholarships/grants and less in terms of work-study. For work study, thats what the TAs (teaching assistants) and RA's (research assistants) due to work their way thru school. Bottom line, though, is in PhD programs you are actually paid to go to school! Granted you're not living high on the hog, but enough to survive and medical coverage is usually included.</p>
<p>See, for example, <a href="http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/financial/standard.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/financial/standard.html</a> for an overview of financial aid for grad students. </p>
<p>If you were accepted into the Yale Sociology PhD program, for example, a web page says "All accepted students are fully funded for five years. In the first four years they receive full tuition and a living stipend and in the fifth or sixth year students are eligible for the dissertation write-up fellowship. In the third and fourth years students are required to serve as teaching fellows to receive their stipend. In 2003-2004 the annual stipend was $16,000. </p>
<p>In other words, not only can you spend up to 6 years at Yale tuition-free, they will kick in an extra $16K/year for you to spend as you wish (a lot on housing, no doubt) and all they ask is you serve as a TA for 2 of those years! See <a href="http://www.yale.edu/socdept/gradprogram.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.yale.edu/socdept/gradprogram.html</a></p>