1. Tuition
Tuition in the U.S. has always been notoriously expensive, and in recent years, repeated tuition hikes have become nothing unusual.
Based on official USNEWS statistics from 2017, several typical universities were selected as references, categorized by public universities, private universities, and different programs.
Public Universities
√ Engineering:
University Texas-Austin : $18,030
University of Wisconsin-Madison : $25,269
University of California-San Diego : $26,322
√ Education:
University of Texas-Austin : $16,828
Ohio State University : $31,032
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor : $44,222
√ Business:
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor : $64,350
University of California-Los Angeles: $57,560
Indiana University(Kelly) : $44,460
Private Universities
√ Engineering:
Brigham Young University : $13,360
University of Pennsylvania : $32,286
Duke University : $52,925
√ Education:
Syracuse University : $25,974
Stanford University : $47,331
Northwestern University : $50,424
√ Business:
Washington University in St. Louis : $55,400
Carnegie Mellon University : $61,440
Columbia University : $68,792
From the data above, we can see that tuition varies depending on the nature of the school and the type of program.
U.S. universities are divided into private and public. Generally, tuition at private universities is higher than at public universities, and business programs cost more than STEM or liberal arts programs.
Of course, this is not absolute~
2. Accommodation
The price gradient for these three types of housing is roughly:
Town house < single house < apartment
Apartments have better amenities with shared facilities like swimming pools and gyms, so they are the most expensive.
Take a senior student known to CheersYou（清柚教育） as an example. During her undergraduate years, she lived in Fairfax City in Virginia, a well-ranked small town in the U.S. with an excellent location just a half-hour drive from the capital, Washington D.C. However, housing prices there were much cheaper than in D.C. At that time, she lived in a town house, paying $600 a month for a room. Later she moved to a single house, paying $850 a month for a room.
For graduate school, she came to Boston and lived alone in an apartment, paying $2,000 a month.
So let's take a median value: if you don't live alone in an apartment, the average monthly rent is around $800, and the average monthly utilities are around $150. (PS: In San Francisco, NYC, and Boston, housing prices are much higher than in other areas. For other regions, the average monthly rent can be estimated at around $600.)
3. Living Expenses
First, the cost of living in the area where a U.S. university is located can be divided into four tiers:
Tier 1 Cities:
Refers to major U.S. metropolitan cities such as San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, etc.
Living expenses:
Approximately $1,500 per month, equivalent to about ¥120,000 per year.
Tier 2 Cities:
Refers to large U.S. cities such as Pittsburgh, Seattle, Dallas, Atlanta, Austin, Detroit, etc.
Living expenses:
Approximately $900 per month, equivalent to about ¥72,000 per year.
Tier 3 Cities:
Refers to cities in southern, midwestern, and southeastern states, such as Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Utah, Colorado, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, etc.
Living expenses:
Approximately $700 per month, equivalent to about ¥56,000 per year.
Tier 4 Cities:
Cities in states like Oklahoma, Missouri, Louisiana, etc.
Living expenses:
Approximately $500 per month, equivalent to about ¥40,000 per year.
4. Food, Clothing, and Other Expenses
Food and clothing are a matter of personal choice.
If you eat out, in a Tier 1 city it usually costs at least $20 per meal, plus 10%-20% tip and tax. The consumption level in Tier 1 cities is indeed high. If you buy groceries and cook, you might spend around $80 per week.
As for expenses on clothes, entertainment, etc., everyone should estimate based on their own spending habits.
5. There Are Many Ways to Save Money
Choose a School with Lower Tuition
If you are an excellent student, you can find good schools with lower tuition, such as Texas A&M University, University of Texas at Austin, and others. Public schools generally have cheaper tuition than private ones because private universities rely mainly on tuition, government subsidies, and alumni donations for funding, while public universities are primarily funded by government appropriations.
Strive for Scholarships
Scholarship acquisition methods vary by school. Some schools allocate them directly based on student ranking, while others require students to apply on their own.
Look for Internships, Part-time Jobs, and Teaching/Research Assistant Opportunities
Students need to actively seek out these opportunities. Internships are the most recommended, as they not only offer good pay but are also very helpful for finding future jobs in the U.S. Teaching and research assistant positions can also help you build skills and provide decent compensation.
