How Much Does a College Credit Hour Cost?
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The average cost of college tuition per credit hour is $490.[1]- Four-year private nonprofit colleges charge the highest tuition, an average of roughly $1,280 per credit hour.Note Reference [1]
- Two-year public schools, or community colleges, charge the least at just $120 per credit hour on average.Note Reference [1]
- Online colleges may charge less money per credit hour compared to all schools.
- College classes are typically worth three credit hours for students on a semester system, but this varies.
- A college credit typically equals three weekly hours of students’ time in class or completing coursework outside of class.
The average college tuition is close to $20,000 a year for full-time students at four-year colleges. But what if you’re a part-time student or just taking a few classes? That’s when it’s important to know your school’s cost per credit hour.
Credit hours measure how much work you’re expected to do for a college course per week. One credit hour typically equals one hour of class time and two hours of work outside of class, such as homework, lab work, or a student internship.[2]
Colleges and universities often have thresholds for when students pay tuition by the credit hour versus paying a flat rate. A part-time student might pay by credit hour. Meanwhile, a full-time student might pay a flat rate once they reach a certain number of credits, regardless of whether they take extra classes to graduate early.
Knowing your school’s policy around credits can help you get the best deal and make getting your degree more affordable. Keep reading to find the average cost per college credit, so you can better balance your course load and your budget.
Average College Credit Cost
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), across all school types, the average college tuition cost per credit is $490. However, credit hours are priced differently across institution types.Note Reference [1]
- At four-year institutions, the average cost of tuition and fees per credit hour is $590.
- Credit hours are far cheaper at two-year schools, where the average tuition per credit hour is $130.
- Community colleges typically charge the least per credit. Four-year private nonprofit schools usually charge the most. Credits at these schools cost over 10 times more than at two-year public schools.
Total College Cost per Credit Hour
College students encounter expenses beyond the cost of tuition alone. Textbooks, transportation, and room and board add up. To find the all-in cost of college per credit hour, we divided the average total cost of one year of college by 30.
- The average total cost of college per credit hour for students living on campus at four-year colleges is $1,276.[3]
- The average cost per credit hour at all two-year schools is about half that of four-year schools, assuming similar living situations.
- Across school types, students save the most money when they can offset dorm expenses or rent by living with family.
Net Cost per Credit Hour
Many college students receive financial aid in the form of scholarships or grants. Their net cost of college equals the total cost of college minus the amount of aid they receive.
In 2021-2022, the average net price of college per credit hour was $642 at four-year institutions and $340 at two-year institutions, per NCES.[4]
The net cost of college credit hours varies across institution types, as seen in the graph below. It also depends on students’ income level. Lower incomes typically correspond to more financial aid.Note Reference [4]
Calculating the Average College Credit Cost
We calculated the average cost per credit hour based on the average cost of college in the U.S. with a couple of assumptions:
1. Most schools use semesters versus quarters.
Semester-system schools have two 15-week terms, one in the fall/winter and one in the spring. Quarter-system schools have four 10-week terms, including an optional summer term. If you’re at a school using a semester system, you need fewer credits to earn your degree (120 for a bachelor’s) than students in quarter-system schools (180).
2. Students complete 30 credits per year.
Most accrediting bodies require students to complete 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree, which typically takes four years. Associate degree programs require learners to earn at least 60 credits and last about two years.[5]
Historical Tuition per Credit Hour
College costs have skyrocketed over time — often outpacing the rate of inflation for other products, services, and housing.
Fifty years ago, the average credit hour at four-year public colleges cost just $90 in today’s dollars. That’s less than one-third of today’s cost.Note Reference [1]
Cost per Credit Hour by State
Two-year public schools offer the most affordable college credits to in-district students. According to NCES, community colleges in six states charge less than $100 per credit hour for in-district students:[6]
- Arizona
- California
- North Carolina
- New Mexico
- Texas
When it comes to public four-year schools, Florida offers the least expensive college credits for in-state students at $151.Note Reference [6] Vermont charges the most at $587. Even so, Vermont’s four-year public schools are less expensive per credit hour for in-state students than the average four-year private nonprofit school.
Average Tuition per Credit Hour at Public Colleges by State
| State⇅ | Four-Year In-State⇅ | Four-Year Out-of-State⇅ | Two-Year In-State⇅ | Two-Year Out-of-State⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $369 | $944 | $168 | $314 |
| Alaska | $276 | $814 | No Data | No Data |
| Arizona | $392 | $950 | $72 | $248 |
| Arkansas | $296 | $770 | $122 | $172 |
| California | $288 | $1,099 | $43 | $311 |
| Colorado | $327 | $1,083 | $114 | $251 |
| Connecticut | $525 | $1,264 | $159 | $473 |
| Delaware | $397 | $1,127 | No Data | No Data |
| District of Columbia | $205 | $433 | No Data | No Data |
| Florida | $151 | $594 | No Data | No Data |
Cost of Online College per Credit Hour
Students may try to save money by earning credit hours online, and sometimes they can. According to the NCES College Navigator Database, the average net price per credit hour for online colleges is $547.[7]
(Note: Just 38 distance-learning-only institutions reported their 2022-2023 net price to NCES.)
When comparing costs for online college credit hours, the type of school matters. Online college credit hours are the most affordable at public institutions, averaging around $400. Private for-profit schools charge the most: $675 per credit, on average.
Frequently Asked Questions About College Credit Hours
Colleges sometimes list costs per credit hour, meaning that the amount students pay depends on how many credits they take. Once a student is enrolled in a certain number of credits that’s considered a full-time load, they usually pay a flat fee.