Reviewed by:
Former Chief Resident in Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, & Admissions Officer, Columbia University
Reviewed: 5/13/22
Are you considering attending medical school but don't want to accrue massive debt? This guide will go over the cheapest medical schools in the country.
The US is notorious for having some of the highest tuition costs in the world. With that being said, medical school is no exception. In fact, according to US News, recent data shows four years of medical school cost $250,222 for public institutions and $330,180 for private institutions.
As you can see, medical schools can be costly. There is financial aid to help students with tuition; however, most students end up with massive student debt. In this guide, we'll go over the cheapest medical schools in the USA and give a quick overview of each school.
Below is a list of the cheapest medical schools for in-state students.
Ranking: #87 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Alburquerque, New Mexico
GPA: 3.72
MCAT score: 506
Faculty-student ratio: 2.2:1
In-state tuition: $15,328
The University of New Mexico Medical School emphasizes integrating the basic sciences and clinical medicine. The MD program has students exposed to patients and communities early on in the program. They believe that early exposure helps students learn and develop the clinical skills needed for their future medical careers.
Ranking: #47 in Best Medical Schools
Location: San Antonio, Texas
GPA: 3.87
MCAT score: 517.6
Faculty-student ratio: 1.2:1
In-state tuition: $17,581
The MD program at the University of Texas Health Science Center offers students a wide variety of residencies, fellowships, and clinical training to help students succeed in their future careers. The school's Clinician Educator Track program is an opportunity for residents who want to improve their teaching skills and learn about Academic Medicine.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Greenville, North Carolina
GPA: 3.5
MCAT score: 506
Faculty-student ratio: 1.3:1
In-state tuition: $20,252
The MD program at East Carolina University Medical School has students participating in three phases as a part of their curriculum. Students engage in coursework, clinical experiences, and clerkship in those phases. With these phases, students are taught both the knowledge and technical skills of medicine.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Huntington, West Virginia
GPA: 3.6
MCAT score: 503
Faculty-student ratio: 1:1
In-state tuition: $24,324
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine was founded in 1977 and is dedicated to providing students with quality medical education. Because most of the student population is from rural West Virginia, the school specializes in rural health issues and trains students in rural and clinical settings.
Below is a list of the cheapest medical schools for out-of-state students.
Ranking: #53 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Houston, Texas
GPA: 3.85
MCAT score: 512
Faculty-student ratio: 1.6:1
Out-of-state tuition: $26,125
The University of Texas Health Science Center is the ninth-largest medical school in the US The medical school was established in 1969, and the first class started in 1970 with 19 students. By 1979, the school then consisted of 200 students. Today, the medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center has nearly 1,000 students.
Ranking: #80 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Lubbock, Texas
GPA: 3.8
MCAT score: 513
Faculty-student ratio: 0.2:1
Out-of-state tuition: $29,320
Texas A&M University Medical School was created to serve underrepresented populations in Texas. The medical school specializes in rural and population health, military medicine, and innovation. Research opportunities are also available to students enrolled in medical school and who want to pursue research endeavors.
Ranking: #87 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Bryan, Texas
GPA: 3.8
MCAT score: 512
Faculty-student ratio: 1.9:1
Out-of-state tuition: $30,521
At Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine, students have the freedom to choose any specialty they like. During the first three years of the M.D. program, students learn basic science, research, and interdisciplinary clinical practice. In their final year, students then pursue a clinical specialization.
Ranking: #25 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Dallas, Texas
GPA: 3.8
MCAT score: 516
Faculty-student ratio: 3:1
Out-of-state tuition: $33,831
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center teaches students through an innovative curriculum and early clinical experiences. The school also offers students the support of faculty-student mentorship, where the students will learn fundamental skills for the medical field.
Below is a list of the cheapest public medical schools for students.
Location: Edinburg, Texas
GPA: 3.0
MCAT score: 500
In-state tuition: $19,639
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine has students learning in the various medical fields during their clerkship. Fields like Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, and Surgery, give students the vast knowledge of medicine needed for their future medical careers.
Location: Austin, Texas
In-state tuition: $21,087
The University of Texas Dell Medical School teaches its MD students to foster empathy when treating patients. Students learn through case studies, clerkships, and various medical residencies.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Talhassee, Florida
GPA: 3.5
GRE score: 152
Faculty-student ratio: 0.3:1
In-state tuition: $22,408
Florida State University Medical School offers students early clinical experience, reduced lecture time, and pre-clerkship “boot camp.” The school's curriculum prepares students for their clinical rotations and future careers in the field.
Ranking: #87 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Orlando, Florida
GPA: 3.8
MCAT score: 512
Faculty-student ratio: 1.6:1
In-state tuition: $25,491
The University of Central Florida Medical School offers students a wide array of unique teaching methods. For instance, students are exposed to state-of-the-art technology, interactions with virtual patients, clinical and laboratory experiences, research, and small group sessions.
Below is a list of the cheapest private medical schools for students.
Ranking: #2 in Best Medical Schools
Location: New York, New York
GPA: 3.9
MCAT score: 522
Faculty-student ratio: 2.5:1
In-state tuition: $0
New York University Medical School has a unique approach to tuition for medical school. The school offers students in the M.D. program a full-tuition scholarship.
So if you're looking for an extremely affordable medical school, NYU Medical School is the school for you.
Ranking: #22 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Houston, Texas
Faculty-student ratio: 3.7:1
In-state tuition: $19,425
Baylor College of Medicine focuses on teaching students to take a more patient-centered approach to treat patients of a diverse population. The school provides students with the curriculum, services, resources, and support to excel in their studies and future careers.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Hattiesburg, Minnesota
GPA: 3.4
MCAT score: 500
Faculty-student ratio: 0.1:1
In-state tuition: $44,000
William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCUCOM) was ranked second by US News for placing graduates in rural areas and fourth for placing graduates in primary care. Physicians from WCUCOM have also been recognized for their innovative work in primary care and population health.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
GPA: 3.4
MCAT score: 500
Faculty-student ratio: 0.1:1
In-state tuition: $47,800
During the first two years at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), students learn the foundations of medicine and the body's many different systems. Clinical experiences are also integrated during this time, where students will learn from faculty and gain valuable clinical experiences.
During the third year, students learn about clinical education, where there are monthly case presentations and workshops they'll have to attend. In the fourth year, students participate in clinical rotations where they'll gain valuable experiences and skills.
Below is a list of the cheapest D.O. medical schools for students.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
GPA: 3.7
MCAT score: 507
Faculty-student ratio: 0.3:1
In-state tuition: $13,078
The University of North Texas Health Science Center has an Osteopathic medical program administered by the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM). TCOM is one of the nation's top medical schools for primary care and has an excellent reputation for having an innovative curriculum.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Lewisburg, West Virginia
GPA: 3.2
MCAT score: 502
Faculty-student ratio: 0.1:1
In-state tuition: $21,472
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine is ranked #1 for best rural primary care. The school produces a lot of students who pursue medical practice in rural settings. They believe in using a patient-centric approach to diagnosing and treating patients and teach those beliefs to their students.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
GPA: 3.6
MCAT score: 500
Faculty-student ratio: 0.2:1
In-state tuition: $25,797
Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (OSU-COM) offers students a wide variety of residency options and research opportunities. The school educates students on osteopathic primary care, emphasizing rural communities.
Ranking: #95-124 in Best Medical Schools
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
GPA: 2.7 (science)
MCAT score: 50th percentile or higher
Faculty-student ratio: 1.1:1
In-state tuition: $37,000
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine takes an individualized approach to the curriculum. They've developed different learning styles to best suit a student's needs. The curriculum starts with basic science and an introduction to clinical education. Once a student progresses in the M.D. program, the student then learns more about the medical field.
If you still have questions after reading this guide, check out these frequently asked questions.
According to U.S News, the cheapest medical school in the US is the University of Texas Health Science Center, followed by:
Paying for medical school can be stressful, but there are a few things you can do to reduce the cost:
Medical school can be expensive; if the above options are still not helping with the cost of tuition, try to go to a school with a low cost of tuition. Going to school in your state can also be helpful when reducing the high cost.
The US has exceptionally high tuition costs, and medical school has the priciest. However, there are ways to fight the high costs of medical school. In this guide, we went over the cheapest medical schools in the country and how to reduce the cost of tuition. Medical school is stressful enough as it is; there's no reason why paying tuition should be too.
.svg)
