This post is primarily for rising seniors and their parents. First and foremost, congratulations, you are almost done! This is that big year with lots to do and lots to plan. This is THAT year of Senior Prom, Yearbook quote, and ditch day (but not by YOU of course.) You have worked hard, and graduation is right around the corner. With school starting again in a few, it’s getting real. This fall you will likely start the application process for your next step. But before you race off to the exotic out of state private school, I want to talk a moment about the one thing often overlooked at this time in your life: College is a business decision.
Every investment requires thoughtful consideration, and education is an investment. With the student loan debt in America approaching $1.5 Trillion, and graduates being saddled with college debts as long as 25 years, your selection should take some real cost-benefit examination. A quality education does not only come from the expensive private schools. I hear all about the “College Experience” students “should” have,however, student loan debt is currently being blamed for 1 in 8 divorces in the United States. Turns out high student loan debt gets in the way of buying cars, homes, and starting families.
Know the Cost of Attendance Vs the Cost of Tuition (per Credit Hour)
The high education figures we all see thrown around in the news are typically the amounts published in the estimated Cost of Attendance. Each school publishes the cost estimate per year for parents and students, but primarily because, “This estimation may also be used by financial aid offices and loan companies to evaluate how much money they should loan a prospective student based on how much money they will actually need to attend. Each year, the average cost of attendance typically increases.” The cost of attendance estimates room and board, fees, transportation, tuition, and books and materials.
The actual cost of your education, the Cost of Tuition, can be determined by looking at the cost per credit hour, which is a very different number. Published in an article by Student Loan Hero last January, here are the current national averages of costs per credit hour:
• Four-year, public: $324.70
• Two-year, public: $135.09
• Less than two years, public: $281.17
• Four Year Private: $1039.00
Keep in mind, these are the national average, and your state or private school credit hour cost may be higher or lower. But let’s do a little math here. A four-year bachelor’s degree is around 120 hours or so. A four-year public school at $324.70 is about $38,964.00 for all four years. That’s under $10,000.00 per year. Compare that to the four-year private school average, the same 120 hours will run approximately $124,680.00. Before you buy a book, get a sandwich, or go to your science lab. In many parts of the country, that is the cost of a starter home. Still, $10,000 a year for a four-year public school is a lot of money.
Another option is to get your pre-requisites, such as English, Social Sciences, Western Civ and Math courses done at a two-year college. Let’s math again. If you complete 60 hours at Community college, you’ll pay an average of $135.09 a credit and $8,105.40 total. A little over $4,000.00 a year, and a savings of 60% off the four-year public university option. For many families, this is a wise decision.
Even more wise, is to “cash flow” or pay for tuition in cash each semester. With a full-load averaging 15-16 credits, each semester would cost about $2,161.44. Add books and fees, and you are still probably coming in at about $2,800.00 a semester or $5,600.00 a year. If you start working this fall, you need to save about $467.00 a month to fund your first full year at a two-year public school.
So, Why Cash?
Using Loans increases that cost per credit once interest is added! Looking again at the cost per credit hour, each credit costs more, when you take out a loan to pay for it. As of the article published in January 2018, the Department of Education has interest on federal Direct Loans at 3.76% APR. That is an effective rate of about 20 percent over 10 years. Adding that interest to each credit changes the cost:
• A two-year public-school credit at $135.09 would cost $162 over 10 years ($27 in interest)
• A four-year public-school credit at $324.70 would cost $390 over 10 years ($65 in interest)
Mathing again, the 60 hours at Community College can grow to $9,720.00. An increase of $1,614.60, then interest is also added on the books and fees if you have a loan for each semester to cover those as well! Think how great it would be to finish college without debt. To make that investment in yourself in cash, it takes planning. A combination of work and saving, living cheaply or at home, and getting any shortfall through scholarships (try My Scholly) should all be part of your smart education investment. Enjoy your senior year!
