How Much Does Changing Majors in College Cost?

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30% of college students change their major in their first three years of school. And 1 in 10 students changes majors more than once.

College is far from affordable these days, and any delay in graduation can add more to your final cost. There’s no exact number for how much changing majors will cost you, but we can give you an idea based on the time it typically takes to complete a degree and the average cost of tuition.

To understand how much changing your major might cost, you have to look at the cost of tuition. The biggest cost-related impact that changing your major will have is on the additional semesters of college you’ll have to complete and pay for.

Here are the average tuition costs at four-year institutions in the U.S. during the 2020-21 academic year, depending on the institution type:

When considering changing your major, look at the tuition cost of each additional semester you’ll have to complete.

How much changing a major will cost you depends on how many years of school you’ve already completed and how many extra classes you might need to take. The longer you wait, the more it’ll cost. For example, if you change your major in your sophomore year, you can probably maintain the same timeline and tuition costs. Most sophomore students are still working on general education requirements and haven’t spent much time in their major.

If you change your major in your senior year, however, you may need to add two more years of tuition, depending on how dissimilar your new major is from your old one. Based on the numbers shared above, an additional two years of tuition ranges from roughly $18,750-$71,700.

Many universities don’t ask you to declare a major until the end of your sophomore year. In this case, if you decide to switch after starting your junior year, it may cost you more time and money if your new major requires a different set of prerequisites.

If changing majors extends your graduation timeline, you’re also delaying your entry into the professional workforce. That’s an extended period of time where you’re paying for your general cost-of-living expenses as a student.

The average yearly cost for room and board on campus during the 2020-21 school year was $11,737 at public schools and $13,476 at private institutions. If you opt for off-campus living, the average annual cost can vary widely depending on the location.

Additionally, the sooner you enter the workforce, the sooner you can begin earning a professional salary. Those extra years of earning can benefit your long-term financial health.