Costs of Private vs. Public School

Though most colleges have the same basic list of expenses, the total cost varies a lot depending on where you decide to go to school. In most cases, it's the cost of tuition that differs most dramatically between one college and another.

Private Colleges ($$$): These tend to cost the most money, but often the costliest ones (typically elite schools with huge endowments, like Princeton, Stanford, and so on) will have a lot of money available to help you pay for an education there. In which case, paradoxically enough, they may well end up being your cheapest option. A couple examples of private college budgets:

• Duke University, a private university in North Carolina
• Pomona College, a small liberal arts college in Southern California

Public Universities ($$): The cost of going to a state school can vary widely, depending on whether or not you are a resident of the state where the school is located. For in-state students, the price tag is usually pretty reasonable, but many of these schools don't have much additional money to offer beyond the basic federal aid. Some real-world examples:

• University of Texas at Austin
• State University of New York at Purchase

Community Colleges ($): Usually the least expensive option. Which is why some students aiming for a four-year college degree will start out attending a community college for a year or two to save money, then transfer to a four-year college or university.

• Miami Dade College in Florida, a large community college
• Foothill College, a community college in California near Shmoop World HQ