What Med School Really Costs

Four years of cost, what federal loans will and won’t cover, the private loans you’d need for the rest, and what it all means once you’re a resident.

Rules last verified Sep 25, 2026

New in 2026: Grad PLUS loans ended for new borrowers on July 1, 2026. Federal loans for MD and DO students are now capped at $50,000 a year and $200,000 total. Anything above that comes from scholarships, savings, family or private loans.

These are example numbers. Answer a few questions and every calculator fills in with yours, saved in this browser.

Schools

School 1

Name

Cost of attendance / yr

From the school’s financial aid page

Scholarships / yr

School 2

Name

Cost of attendance / yr

From the school’s financial aid page

Scholarships / yr

School 3

Name

Cost of attendance / yr

From the school’s financial aid page

Scholarships / yr

Loans

Years of school

Federal rate (2026–27)

Set each year for new loans

Federal loan fee

Taken out of each disbursement

Private loan rate

Example; depends on credit and co-signer

How each school gets paid for

In-state public$280,000 total

In-state public: how it’s paid for: Federal loans $197,886, Private loans $82,114
Private, high cost of living$420,000 total

Private, high cost of living: how it’s paid for: Scholarships $60,000, Federal loans $197,886, Private loans $162,114
Tuition-free private$128,000 total

Tuition-free private: how it’s paid for: Federal loans $128,000

School comparison
	In-state public$70,000/yr	Private, high cost of living$105,000/yr, $15,000/yr scholarship	Tuition-free private$32,000/yr
4-year cost of attendance	$280,000	$420,000	$128,000
Scholarships	$0	$60,000	$0
Federal loansIncludes loan fees	$200,000 At cap	$200,000 At cap	$129,367
Private loans needed	$82,114	$162,114	$0
Debt at graduationWith interest built up during school	$339,059	$435,227	$155,467
Payment in intern yearFederal on RAP (last year’s AGI ≈ $0) + private on a 10-yr term	$10 + $1,172 /mo	$10 + $2,313 /mo	$10/mo
Eligible for PSLF & forgiveness	$240,350 of it	$240,350 of it	All of it

In-state public

4-year cost of attendance

$280,000
Scholarships

$0
Federal loans

$200,000At cap
Private loans needed

$82,114
Debt at graduation

$339,059
Payment in intern year

$10 + $1,172 /mo
Eligible for PSLF & forgiveness

$240,350 of it
Private, high cost of living

4-year cost of attendance

$420,000
Scholarships

$60,000
Federal loans

$200,000At cap
Private loans needed

$162,114
Debt at graduation

$435,227
Payment in intern year

$10 + $2,313 /mo
Eligible for PSLF & forgiveness

$240,350 of it
Tuition-free private

4-year cost of attendance

$128,000
Scholarships

$0
Federal loans

$129,367
Private loans needed

$0
Debt at graduation

$155,467
Payment in intern year

$10/mo
Eligible for PSLF & forgiveness

All of it

The part that hurts. Private loans have no income-driven plan, no PSLF and no forgiveness. Private, high cost of living’s $162,114 gap alone could cost $2,313 a month on a resident’s salary.

What happens next. When you enroll, your school’s loans move into your plan from your Journey, and the RAP & PSLF planner picks them up at residency. Preview the RAP & PSLF planner →

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Educational estimate. Enter each school’s cost of attendance from its financial aid page. Assumes loans disbursed at the start of each year, federal interest not capitalized in school, private interest compounding yearly. Students with a Direct Loan for their program before July 1, 2026 may keep Grad PLUS access.