The Cost of Education – Hidden Fees and Expenses You Didn’t Think About
Education is expensive in North America. Where some countries in Europe provide free education for citizens, North Americans have to pony up a lot of cash to get a degree. Tuition fees have been steadily on the rise. As a Business school student, I’ve noticed the tuition spike even in my five years of attending college.
According to Statistics Canada, in the 2007/2008 school year, average Business Administration undergraduate program fees were $4637. In the 2011/2012 school year, we’re looking at a $1000+ spike to a $5711 average.
The discipline that experienced the largest jump in tuition fees was the dentistry undergrad, with an almost $4,000 spike in the three years between 2008-2011.
I couldn’t find any information for the US, but it is also expensive. I know that it is more dependent on what school you go to there, whereas the school is less important in Canada.
The cost of a college or university education doesn’t only include tuition costs – it also includes textbooks, which are outrageously expensive. They can vary between $80-$260 per class, depending on the subject and content. Most students spend about $500-$600 a semester on textbooks for five courses.
On top of that, the tuition costs don’t even include what colleges charge you for usage of facilities and other extras. Tuition bills are fraught with little administrative fees here and there. In fact, out of a $2750 payment I made to my college this semester for just a few courses, only $2038 of that went toward tuition. I spent $700 on extras that the colleges don’t bat an eye at charging us. These extras, taken right off my bill, include:
Student Bursary Fund
Canadian Federation of Student
Student’s Association Ext. Dental Plan
Student’s Association Advocacy Service
Student’s Association Club & Event Fee
Student Reboot Computer Service
Student Peer Counselling
Student Intramurals Fee
Student Operating Fund
Student Social Justice
Student Volunteer Program
Student Substitute Capital Fee
Student Lobby Fund
Library,Tech &Student Life Fee
Student Extended Health Plan
Student Stu Public’n Fund
Some of these expenses make sense, but some are a little extreme.
Then there are transportation costs. Colleges are typically placed in the most convenient of cities, so there is usually quite a few bus routes that go past them, but even so, public transportation isn’t cheap. Most areas have a public transport pass that starts at $80/month. If you go to school year round and don’t drive, it would still cost $960 for the full year just to ride the bus.
Then there’s all of the extras; school supplies, study group snacks, professional printing of posters and reports, etc. This is individual to each person.
When I look at this, I’m not surprised more people don’t go and get an education. It’s expensive, and unrealistic for many. Our government doesn’t make it easy for people to improve their lives. Loans are an option, but you have to fit a very specific criteria to qualify.
It is true that, after college, earning power will increase and the people who went through it will make more money. It does pay off sometimes and that’s why I’m doing it. But the initial cost is scaring off a lot of people, and many of those people don’t know exactly where their money is going unless they get a scary long tuition bill like mine listed above.
I’m not even listing the interest payment on a government loan, which is completely relevant to the cost of education as well.
Did you get an education? Did you have loans to pay for it? Do you find it worth it? If you didn’t, why not?
I had NO idea that there were those hidden charges. Were they actually itemized on your tuition receipt or hidden in the “fine print”?
Like you, I put myself through school. My parents made too much for me to qualify for a student loan, yet they didn’t give me money for school (which, I’m eternally thankful for as it taught me a A LOT). I worked part-time while I studied, which was difficult, but had to be done so I could get an education.
I’m currently debating on whether I should go to MBA school, but MBA program pricing is RIDICULOUS! And would my income increase enough to make up for the tuition cost…I’m still trying to figure that out.
Great post!
They were itemized, but many people don’t really look at the items other than the tuition charge itself.
I’ve always wanted to get my MBA, and I’m sure I will, but it’s so expensive. I would love to find an employer that would pay for it.
Seeing all those extra charges just fired up my blood – I remember the breakdown of my first bill from the university and seeing all those extra charges tacked onto tuition. I was so livid, especially since most of them were from the student union for stuff I didn’t give a damn about (if I wanted to support the campus pub, I would go buy a beer – why do I need to pay them a subsidy with tuition).
I had 32,000 in OSAP loans to pay for my undergrad, but some scholarships as well. Thankfully, I was able to get a big scholarship to pay for my Masters, but I TA’ed as well. While owing that much money sucked, I am glad I have an education in a field I love and can work in.
Isn’t that sickening! I agree, though, it is worth it. Even if schools are money mongers.
Um, I don’t really see the problem.
I don’t mean to play devil’s advocate here, but I think peer counselling is worthy to contribute to.
My fees at the University of Alberta were similar to what you posted here, about $700 to $800 for things like Student’s Union dues, transcript & registration fees, Athletics (for a gym I’ve never even set foot in). The reason you have to pay is because these services could not be offered unless everyone paid into them.
Programs like dentistry have unique fees because they have unique program requirements — considerable laboratory work with expensive equipment, and insurance when working on patients. Furthermore, since many dentists earn well over six-figures upon graduation, a few extra thousand in fees is a very, very small price to pay proportionally.
University education is not unrealistic on inaccessible to the average Canadian, people are just spoiled. No one wants to take a year or two off before they start school to save up, no one wants to work part time during the year or full time over the summer to pay for school, but everyone wants to go to Cancun for reading week. Students need to realize that they are students, and they can’t afford everything — but they also need to realize that this is very, very temporary. I have a great job now, and my student loans represent less than half of my take home pay. In other words, totally manageable — and it’s a job I couldn’t get without my university education.
Paying university fees for services you don’t use can be looked at as a good real world exercise: upon graduation, you will pay much more in taxes for even more services you don’t use.
I consider myself to be one of the “spoiled” ones… My parents have always told me they were going to pay for my first degree, but no more. (I actually had one semester every year covered in scholarships). I, like Bridget, went to the University of Alberta and, like you, had seemingly silly fees to pay. Did I use many of them? No. But when I did need counselling, I’m glad it was at my disposal.
I worked 2 part time jobs when I was in school because I had a car; I lived at home, but I’m not getting into that one ;). I still needed my parents help though. In Alberta, you can only qualify for a student loan if you don’t live with your parents or if they make below a certain amount – I think something like $40,000.
I appreciate my parents helping me, but I’ve always known that it wouldn’t be my only degree. So now I’m on my own. I found my perfect program at a different school, in a different country. I’m currently studying in London, England (one of the most expensive cities in the world) and paying international fees. My tuition itself is £19,000 which equates to about $28,500 CAD. Living expenses are estimated at about £12,000 or $18,000 bringing my total to $46,500. Student loans from the federal and provincial government are only covering $19,950… not even enough for my tuition. So a line of credit from the bank (co-signed by my parents) will have to see me through.
It really is a blow to take, especially since I believe I was doing well with my money prior to moving abroad. But the school is amazing and the networking I’m doing is probably even more valuable. My happiness was key in making my decision though. I could have stayed at home and done a degree I wasn’t interested in, but I would have been miserable. It probably would have turned me away from academics altogether. And because I’ll probably do a PhD post-MSc and before I go into medicine (my ultimate goal), this wouldn’t have been a smart idea.
I know this will be a tough financial road for me, but it will be worth it in the end. I regard academia is an investment rather than a consumer debt and every time I see my bank account, I try to remind myself of that. 🙂