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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For 2025–26, the median first-year cost of attendance (COA) for an in-state student was $75,654 at public medical schools and $106,787 at private medical schools, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The AAMC’s estimated median four-year COA for the class of 2026 was $297,745 at public schools and $408,150 at private schools. These are national sticker-cost estimates—not a guaranteed bill or an estimate of an individual student’s cost after financial aid.
What is the average cost of medical school?
The figures most useful for budgeting are medians, not arithmetic averages. The AAMC reports these in-state benchmarks for the schools covered by its data:
| Measure | Public medical schools | Private medical schools | Period and qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-year tuition and fees | $43,648 | $74,661 | 2025–26; median, in-state |
| First-year cost of attendance | $75,654 | $106,787 | 2025–26; median, in-state |
| Four-year cost of attendance | $297,745 | $408,150 | Estimated median for the class of 2026 |
These are AAMC-published figures for its reported schools, not one price that applies to every U.S. medical program. The four-year amounts are estimated cohort costs, not guaranteed totals for an individual student. AAMC’s 2025 medical school cost data provides the underlying benchmarks.
Tuition and fees are not the full cost
Tuition and fees are charges billed by the school. Cost of attendance (COA) is a broader school-published budget estimate that includes tuition and fees plus estimated other expenses and health insurance. The categories and amounts can vary by school, so check each school’s budget and how it treats insurance before comparing offers. The AAMC explains its cost data and school-level information in its guide to medical school costs.
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The national figures above are in-state benchmarks. A school may publish different costs for in-state and out-of-state students; use the residency category that applies to you when reviewing school-level figures. These published costs also do not subtract grants, scholarships, or stipends. Your net cost depends on the school’s aid offer and your actual expenses, not just the national median.
How much medical school graduates borrow
Cost of attendance and education debt measure different things. AAMC reports that 70% of the class of 2025 graduated with education debt. Among graduates with debt, the mean was $223,130 and the median was $215,000. Those debt figures include premedical or college borrowing as well as medical-school debt, so they are not the price of medical school or a prediction of what a particular student will borrow. Aid, prior borrowing, living expenses, and individual borrowing choices all affect the total. See the AAMC’s education debt data and definitions.
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How to compare medical school costs
- Use the same academic year. Compare current budgets rather than mixing figures from different years.
- Choose the right residency line. Check each school’s in-state or out-of-state tuition and COA that applies to you.
- Separate school charges from the budget total. Compare tuition and fees, then review the full COA and its insurance and living-expense assumptions.
- Calculate your net cost. Subtract grants, scholarships, and stipends in the school’s aid offer from the applicable budget; do not assume national sticker-cost medians reflect aid.
- Check your financing eligibility. Review current federal loan rules and your prior borrowing with the school’s financial-aid office and Federal Student Aid.
A lower published price does not necessarily mean a lower net cost after aid. The comparison that matters is the school-specific budget and aid package you would actually receive.
Federal student loan rules for medical students in 2026
Federal Student Aid’s current guidance says Direct PLUS Loans are generally unavailable to graduate and professional students starting July 1, 2026, except for qualifying continuing students who meet a limited exception. It says professional students may borrow up to $50,000 per year and $200,000 in aggregate through Direct Unsubsidized Loans, subject to applicable prior borrowing, and describes a $257,500 lifetime aggregate cap. Which limits apply depends on program classification, prior borrowing, and eligibility; confirm your circumstances with your school and Federal Student Aid’s current loan guidance.
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For borrowers who qualify for the limited PLUS exception, the maximum PLUS amount is the school-determined COA minus other financial assistance. COA is a budgeting measure, not a promise of loan eligibility or a guarantee that federal loans will cover the full budget. See Federal Student Aid’s graduate PLUS loan guidance for the stated eligibility conditions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What these national figures can—and cannot—tell you
The AAMC benchmarks provide a starting point for comparing reported medical-school costs. They do not establish an individual student’s net price, and the available figures do not provide one comparable national net-cost estimate after grants and scholarships across both MD and DO programs. To estimate what you would pay, use the current budget and written aid offer from each school you are considering.
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