“Major” College Costs: What You Study Affects What You Pay
By: Katie Wornek, UHEAA
When it comes to paying for higher education, every college student faces a few standard costs – mainly tuition, fees, and books. You could also need specific equipment for your major that can add to the final price of your degree or certificate. It’s best to know about these requirements ahead of time so you can budget accordingly. Your professors will instruct you on exactly what you need to purchase for school, but here are a few equipment cost examples you might encounter:
TECHNOLOGY: HARDWARE
|
Item |
Examples of common majors |
|---|---|
|
Computer (PC) |
Multiple/varies |
|
Computer (Apple) |
Multiple/varies |
|
Sound equipment |
Audio Engineering Broadcast Journalism Music Performance Art Theatre Vocal Performance |
|
Still or video camera or lighting equipment |
Film Photo Jounralism Photography |
TECHNOLOGY: SOFTWARE
|
Item |
Examples of common majors |
|---|---|
|
Word processing (common examples: Apple Pages or Microsoft Word) |
Multiple/varies |
|
Spreadsheets (common examples: Apple Numbers or Microsoft Excel) |
Accounting Business Math Statistics |
|
Presentations (common examples: Apple Keynote and Microsoft Powerpoint) |
Multiple/varies |
|
Photo editing (common examples: Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop) |
Film Graphic Design Photo Journalism Photography |
|
Video editing (common examples: Adobe Premier Pro or Apple FinalCut Pro X) |
Broadcast Journalism Film Game Design |
|
Sound editing (common examples: Apple Logic Pro, Adobe Audition, or Avid Pro Tools) |
Audio Engineering Broadcast Journalism Music |
|
Drafting or 3-D rendering (common example: AutoCAD) |
Architecture CAD/Engineering Game Design Graphic Design |
|
Vector graphics (example: Adobe Illustrator) |
Film Game Design Graphic Design Visual Art |
|
Web design (common examples: Adobe Dreamweaver or Microsoft Visual Studio) |
Computer Programming Computer Science Graphic Design Information Systems Web Design |
ATTIRE
|
Item |
Examples of common majors |
|---|---|
|
Scrubs or other uniform |
Health Sciences Law Enforcement Medicine Military Studies Nursing Public Safety |
|
Formal business attire |
Accounting Business Law |
|
Specialized shoes |
Dance Performance Art |
|
Safety equipment (common examples: goggles, hardhat) |
Chemistry Construction Management Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Public Safety |
OTHER SUPPLIES
|
Item |
Examples of Common Majors |
|---|---|
|
Musical instrument |
Music Performance Art |
|
Drafting supplies |
Architecture Graphic Design |
|
Painting or sculpting media |
Fine Art Visual Art Sulpting |
Keep in mind that there are many discounts available for college students (especially on computers and software). Check with your campus bookstore or other vendors to see if you can obtain the supplies you need for free or at a discounted rate. If you will not need your equipment permanently, you may also want to consider renting certain items or buying used books and equipment instead of permanently purchasing new items.
Students in certain majors may also be charged “differential tuition” – this means your tuition rate is higher than the college’s normal tuition rate because your major costs the school more money to operate. Here is a real-world example of how differential tuition impacts two in-state students attending a four-year public university after just one semester:
|
Credit hours |
Tuition |
Fees |
Total |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Student 1 (enrolled in a program with differential tuition) |
12 |
$8,000 |
$550 |
$8,550 |
|
Student 2 (enrolled in a program without differential tuition) |
12 |
$3,900 |
$550 |
$4,450 |
Check with your departmental advisor or your college’s financial aid office for more information about tuition rates for your degree.
When choosing a major, it’s important to consider your return on investment or “ROI”. A good ROI for your education simply means the tangible benefits (such as a salary) and intangible benefits (such as personal fulfillment) you receive from your degree are more valuable than what you gave up (such as your money and time). Below are a few examples of some college majors with the potential for high financial returns on investment. Check out salaries for other careers here.
Engineering (mechanical, aerospace, aeronautical, materials, systems, electrical, computer, nuclear, chemical, and petroleum)
Computer Science
Mathematics
Finance
Business Administration
Information Systems Management