How Much Does Audiology School Cost?
Audiologists are healthcare practitioners who use advanced tools to examine, diagnose and treat patients who are suffering from hearing and balance disorders. If you are interested in this career, you need to know at the outset that the educational preparation is going to be lengthy—and hence, more costly. You will first need to obtain a bachelor’s degree in audiology or any field before you can be admitted to a four-year doctoral degree in audiology program which will give you the doctor of audiology (Au.D.) designation upon completion.
The final cost of your undergraduate and later on, your graduate audiology degrees, will depend on whether you obtain your education from a public or private school and whether you are an in-state or out-of-state student in a public institution. The tuition cost of an undergraduate degree in audiology ranges from a little over $4,000 to as more than $43,000 while the graduate degree can range anywhere from close to $8,000 to more than $43,000.
As far as bachelor’s degree in audiology programs are concerned, some of the top schools are public schools that offer affordable tuition, fees and books especially for in-state students.
At the University of Florida, for example, the annual tuition cost for in-state students is $4,425 while fees and books cost $1,718 and $1,080, respectively. For out-of-state students, the tuition cost is $25,641; fees cost $2,779 and books cost $1,080.
Another leading school for a bachelor’s degree in audiology is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For in-state students, the annual cost for tuition is 5,823 while for out-of-state students, it is $26,575. It charges both in-state and out-of-state students the same amount for fees and books at $1,870 and $1,182, respectively.
The University of Iowa is another leading audiology school which has a tuition cost of $6,678 annually for in-state students and $24,900 for out-of-state students. Students are charged fees of $1,413 and books of $1,090 each year.
Vanderbilt University is considered the top audiology school. Tuition fee for its undergraduate audiology program is $41,088 a year, with fees and books pegged at $1,030 and $1,370, respectively. Northwestern University’s audiology program also ranks as one of the best. Tuition cost there is $43,380, with annual fees of $399 and books at $1,842.
For graduate degrees in audiology, Vanderbilt University still ranks as a top audiology school. It charges tuition of $41,492, fees of $404 and books of $1,370. At Rush University in Illinois, the tuition cost is $31,049. It is not known how much it charges for books.
At Washington University in St. Louis, the cost of tuition is $42,500 while fees cost $780 and books cost $1,110.
The more affordable graduate degree programs in audiology are naturally offered by public institutions. The University of Iowa, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Kansas charges similar annual tuition rates for in-state students. Tuition cost at the University of Iowa is at $7,900 with fees at $1,413 and books costing $1,090 a year. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a graduate degree in audiology has a tuition fee of $7,834 annually. It charges $1,855 for fees and $1,090 for books. Meanwhile, the tuition fee at the University of Kansas is $7,915 a year while its fees and books cost $888 and $900, respectively. For out-of-state students, the tuition fees are much higher. The University of Iowa collects $24,064 a year while the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a tuition fee of $23,924. Out-of-state students studying at the University of Kansas pay $18,517 for tuition.
In addition to tuition and other fees and books, you will also have to prepare for the cost of living expenses which include rent, food and personal expenses. Depending on the available housing you can find, the kinds of food you eat and whether you eat out a lot or not, be prepared to spend anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 each year for room and board. You’ll probably also have to shell out $1,000 to $1,500 a year for other personal expenses.
The good news is that financial aid is always available for most college and graduate students pursuing a degree in audiology. Try to talk with the financial aid officer of the school to determine if you are eligible for scholarships or grants. You may also consider obtaining federal student loans, although you have to remember that you’ll be repaying these in the future. You can also work part-time to help fund your degree.
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