Cannot believe the cost of California med schools

Hi everyone,


I am a CA resident and for the first time started looking at the tuition for CA schools (even the state schools). I am truly blown away. It is upwards of $60k per year and some of the DO schools say $75k (including living exp). This means I am easily looking at $250k just to get MD. Anyone know what this means in terms of monthly payments when you actually have to start paying it back? Has anyone else taken on this much debt?

Univ. of IL states 82k+ yearly expense for out of state students. M2 and M3 come out to about 90-100k alone EACH. I think UIL is one of the most expensive schools for out of state students!

I thought the UC system was really cheap for residents?

California’s infamous budget deficit has pushed in-state tuition dramatically upwards, but in general all US medical schools have increased their costs of attendance exponentially with the introduction of the Grad PLUS loan program in 2006. Basically, any US graduate or professional student with no major negatives on their credit report are able to borrow beyond the Stafford loan maximums using the PLUS loan program up to the the school’s predetermined cost of attendance. US medical schools now feel they can realistically and legitimately pass on more of the costs of operating medical schools onto its students. Ironically, because the big 3 Caribbean medical schools are not eligible for Grad PLUS loans (they are only eligible for Stafford loans and private educational loans), the cost of attending a big 3 Caribbean medical school is actually less than many US medical schools.

ihopetobeado2: I’ve been waiting for someone to explain this so well-- thanks. Do you have a link to an article that explains further?

  • MattFugazi Said:
ihopetobeado2: I've been waiting for someone to explain this so well-- thanks. Do you have a link to an article that explains further?



No. Sorry, I didn't use any particular article(s). These are just my own explanations and conclusions.
  • Brenda E Said:
Hi everyone,

I am a CA resident and for the first time started looking at the tuition for CA schools (even the state schools). I am truly blown away. It is upwards of $60k per year and some of the DO schools say $75k (including living exp). This means I am easily looking at $250k just to get MD. Anyone know what this means in terms of monthly payments when you actually have to start paying it back? Has anyone else taken on this much debt?



Unfortunately, you may not have to worry about the cost of CA med schools. The odds of getting into one are pretty slim, even as a CA resident. I was sure I'd get into 1 or 2. Turns out I got wait listed at 1 and got 0 interest from any others. But then i got into plenty of OOS schools, very arbitrary. As for the cost, there are scholarships and need-based grants out there, and some schools are more generous than others (Mayo, Lerner, and Michigan come to mind.) And some schools will give you in state tuition after the first year, like in NY. Here is a loan payment calculator http://www.finaid.org/calculators/loanpayme nts.pht... You have to remember though that whatever loans you do take out, you are investing in your future, and dramatically increasing your earning potential. You probably won't be rich as a doctor, but you should easily make enough to pay your loans back, especially if you specialize.

Oh, I have not taken on this much debt yet, but I plan too. Can't wait! It's basically like buying a house that starts growing a money tree (or money shrub maybe) in 7 years.

It is ridiculous, and it’s not that much better for in-state with COL for the coming years.


The state of IL is in a manner of such disarray, I think only CA is in worse shape right now. Hiking tuition on the students that seem to be a “sure thing” is annoying, not to mention this wonderful state school takes at least half, if not more, from OOS.