How much are American university fees?

Tuition fees are now above £9,000 a year in most of the UK. So should you consider studying in America instead?

Credit: Jorge Salcedo, BLACKWHITEPAILYN – Shutterstock

If your knowledge of American universities (or 'colleges', as they're often called in the USA) is based entirely on films and TV, you could be forgiven for thinking that the prices are sky-high.

To be fair, sometimes they are. However, with tuition fees in the UK often surpassing £9,000 a year, are American degrees actually that much more expensive than a British equivalent?

To answer that very question, we've figured out how much studying for a degree in America as a UK student could cost you.

American tuition fees

Credit: Jorge Salcedo – Shutterstock

It's hard to say what the 'average' cost of tuition at an American college is. The fees can vary dramatically depending on the type of university and the length of your degree.

You can go public or private, and study for two years, four years, or perhaps even longer.

However, it's worth noting that at the end of your studies at a two-year college, you won't actually have a full degree. You'll have what's known as an associate's degree. This can be topped up to a full degree by transferring to another university and studying for an additional two or three years. It's a bit like how an AS Level is roughly half of an A Level.

Fees will also vary depending on whether or not you're from the university's state. It's similar to how fees at Scottish universities are higher if you're not from Scotland. As a UK resident, unless you've somehow been resident in a specific state, you'll almost certainly be paying the out-of-state fees.

Average annual tuition fees in the USA 2023/24

* Figures were sourced from College Board, which publishes the figures in US Dollars. Conversions were accurate at the time of writing.

As you can see, average tuition fees at private universities are much higher than at publicly funded universities. Most of the top American universities are private. They will typically charge even more than the average figures, with tuition at both Yale and Harvard going over $50,000 a year in 2024/25.

Your fees need to be paid in advance of each semester. You can usually choose to pay for the full year or semester by semester.

Similar to the UK in recent years, there have been many complaints in America regarding the rising cost of tuition fees and issues with financial aid.

Cost of living while studying in America

Most undergraduate courses in the United States are four years long (some six or more). That's why you'll need to factor in the cost of living there and compare it to what you'd be paying in the UK for a three-year course (the norm in the UK).

The cost of room and board will usually take up a big chunk of living costs, so we've included the average costs of these in 2023/24 below.

Annual cost of housing and food in America 2023/24

* Figures were sourced from College Board, which publishes the figures in US Dollars. Conversions were accurate at the time of writing.

The lowest prices will be found at the two-year public colleges and the highest at the private non-profit four-year institutions.

For your overall living costs, you'll need to factor in buying course materials (such as university textbooks) and other expenses such as a mobile phone contract and monthly subscriptions.

To see how much it costs to live as a student in the UK, see the results of our latest National Student Money Survey. You can then compare it with the costs of going to university in the US.

Financial support for British students in America

Clearly, studying in America as an international student isn't cheap. To make things even more challenging, tuition fees in America must be paid in advance of each semester.

All in all, you'll need to find a lot of cash to fund your studies in the USA. Fortunately, there are different sources of funding for students.

From scholarships to student loans and even part-time jobs, there are plenty of options. We go through them in more detail in our guide to funding your studies in America.

Is it worth going to university in America?

It's really up to you! As we've found, the overall price of an American degree can be more, less or about the same as the cost of studying in the UK. It all depends on where you choose to study (although, in the UK, you can get financial support to cover most up-front costs).

But, of course, it's not all about the money. You could go to an American college and spend less than you would have in the UK, but receive a worse education. Equally, you could go to one of the most expensive universities and get an incredible degree.

As a British student, going to study at an American college will look impressive on your CV. It shows that you're willing to go out of your comfort zone and do something different.

On the other hand, it's important to enjoy your time at university. If you think you'd be unhappy at an American college, we'd recommend that you steer clear. After all, UK unis are still among the best in the world.

Ultimately, given that both the UK and USA charge for a university education, think about where you'll get the education and experience you're after.

And remember, you don't need to do your whole degree in America to get the experience of studying there.

Plenty of UK universities have links with American institutions, allowing you to spend a year studying abroad (usually your second year). This could be a great choice if you don't feel ready to make a permanent move.

Want to learn more about universities in the USA before making a decision? Here are some differences between American and British universities.