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The costs of colleges and trade or technical schools vary widely. It can cost as little as $200 or as much as $30,000 or more per year.  

College costs:

• Basic tuition and fees: the amount of money that a college charges a student each year to enroll and receive instruction, plus other amounts a college requires a student to pay (such as athletic fees, social-activities fees, and health-care costs). 
  • Four-year public college was $10,950 for in-state (resident) students
  • Four-year public college was $28,240 for out-of-state (non-resident) students
  • Four-year private college was $39,400
• Average additional costs: (tuition and fees, room and board, and allowances for books and supplies, transportation and other personal expenses) for full-time undergraduate students: 
  • $12,310 for public colleges room & board, $2,200 for books, supplies & transportation
  • $14,030 for private colleges room & board, $1,830 for books, supplies & transportation

While these figures may sound alarming, keep in mind that these are 'sticker prices' and your actual costs may be less when you factor in grants and other forms of student aid.  Most full-time students receive some type of financial aid, whether that's in the form of grants and scholarships, federal student loans, or tax credits, deductions and work study programs. 

Most student aid pays for all education-related expenses, including books, supplies, transportation and personal expenses in addition to tuition plus room and board?  It's important to note, however, that federal tax credits and deductions are limited to the amount you pay in tuition and fees.

How much a college costs depends partly on whether it's a public college or a private college. If you go to a state or public college in the state where you live, you'll be charged less than a student from out of state. Some neighboring states have reciprocity agreements so that students pay less than the standard out-of-state tuition charged.  Private colleges tend to be more expensive than public colleges since they charge the same amount for in-state and out-of-state students.

It's hard to know what college costs will be by the time you're ready to go to college, but remember:

• Some colleges cost less than other colleges.

• Lots of financial aid is available - more aid exists now than ever before.

• Start saving for college now.

To get an idea of how much college costs, visit https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/college-costs.  You can also look at college guidebooks in your local libraries or bookstores.  

To find the right college for you, check out https://collegesearch.collegeboard.org/home where you'll find breakdowns of costs at about 3,800 colleges and universities.