Karen Ziv knows a thing or two about the cost of a U.S. education for foreign students.Ziv, an Israeli who received her master's degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey and now works as the director of the International Student Organization, says the successful international student must have expenses in order. The price of tuition alone isn't the only factor contributing to the cost of a U.S. education. The cost of living in the United States plays a role in how much you'll spend. Cities near the East and West Coast are more expensive than cities in the South and Midwest regions.
Students who research which schools best mesh their career interests with their finances will inevitably find the right place. “If you don't have financial limitations, it would be nice to study in New York or San Francisco, but you can go to a less populated city and still get a quality U.S. education,” Ziv says.
The cost of a U.S. education is on the rise. A survey of 2,700 colleges and universities reports tuition for public universities increased 10.5 percent in 2004 and 13 percent in 2003. In 2004 private universities' tuition increased by 6 percent, according to the survey conducted by the College Board, and community colleges' tuition increased by 9 percent. It was the first time average tuition was more than $20,000 for a private college, $5,000 for a public university, and $2,000 for a community college, according to The New York Times. Tuition costs for out-of-state students can be higher.
