How Much Does a PhD Cost? (2025 Updates)

Pursuing a Ph.D. is a significant financial commitment, with costs varying based on university type, field of study, and available financial aid. But how much does a PhD cost on average? A Ph.D. costs $32,850 per year, with total expenses ranging from $131,000 to $263,000 over 4-8 years.

Public universities offer lower tuition at around $105,900, while private institutions charge approximately $146,300. Additional costs, such as living expenses, books, and insurance, further increase the financial burden.

Understanding the cost breakdown and financial aid options is crucial for students planning to earn a Ph.D. With that being said, let’s get into the details!

How Much Does A PhD Cost: General Statistics

Below, I have mentioned some of the important statistics regarding Ph.D. costs.

1. The average cost of a Ph.D. is around $32,850 per year.
2. The usual number of years for a Ph.D. degree is 5.8 years.
3. Including the various grants and apprenticeships, a doctoral degree of over 4-8 years costs an average between $131,000 to $263,000.
4. The average cost of doctorate programs in Public Universities is around $105,900.
5. The Ph.D. program at private colleges costs around $146,300.
6. Moreover, $58,656 is the average cost of a professional Ph.D. degree per year.
7. The average cost of a Philosophy Ph.D. is around $121,000.
8. Ph.D. in Education costs over $98,850.
9. The cost of a Doctorate in Psychology is around $115,500.
10. There are more Ph.D. male graduates than females.

How Much Does A Ph.D. Cost: Average Cost Of PhD

The overall cost of a Ph.D. depends on various factors like the type of school and length of the program, specialization, and available amount of financial assistance.

The major factors on which Ph.D. cost is dependent are:

• Type of PhD
• Choice of School
• Field of study
• Location of school
• The dollar amount of student loans.

Other than that, various outside factors can be added to the total cost of the Ph.D. programs. These include living expenses, food, insurance, transportation, and book fees.

Hence, it is essential to consider all these aspects when planning to earn a Ph.D.

11. According to the data from NCES, the average cost of a Ph.D. is $114,300.
12. The doctorate degree costs you around $103,700.
13. The cost of a Ph.D. from a public university is around $105,900.
14. On average, it costs around $146,300 for a Ph.D. program from a private university.
15. $126,800 is the average loan debt for a doctorate degree. 
16. The recent data from NCES suggests that the average tuition cost for a Ph.D. program is around $16,530 per year.
17. Plus, the non-tuition expenses like books, board, and supplies amount to $16,300.
18. Totaling both costs, on average, a complete Ph.D. program costs $32,850 per year.
19. As per the education data, the Ph.D. program for psychology costs $115,500 on average.
20. The median cost of a Ph.D. program in Philosophy is $96,800.

Here is an overall overview of the average cost of Ph.D. programs as per the type of university.

Type Of Universities	Average Tuition And Fees.
Total (All schools)	$114,300
Public universities	$105,900
Private Universities	$146,300

These programs also offer financial aid, a living stipend, and a tuition waiver in exchange for an assistantship. With such assistantship, students may do part-time work as a professor or do research.

21. The graduate research assistantship amounts to around $1,833 per month.
22. On average, the teaching assistantship is $2,400 per month.
23. The average debt of doctoral recipients is around $26,137.
24. In 2019, over 58% of doctoral students graduated with zero debt.

Cost Of Professional Ph.D. Degrees:

There are also many professional doctorate degrees like Juris Doctor, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Medicine. Such doctorate degrees are intended for practice and cost much more.

25. According to the data from NCES, the median cost of a professional Ph.D. degree is around $58,656 per year.
26. It costs $34,910 on average for the tuition and fees for a professional Ph.D. degree.
27. Other than that, non-tuition costs, such as textbooks and housing, cost $23,746 annually on average.

How Much Does a Ph.D. Cost: University-wise

As I said earlier, the Ph.D. cost varies according to different factors. The type of university is one of them. The cost of Ph.D. programs is different for different colleges and universities.

28.  The Annual cost of Ph.D. programs at Columbia University is around $52,000.
29. Cornell University has Ph.D. programs that cost around $30,088.
30. Ph.D. programs at Harvard University cost around $52,460 per year.
31. It costs around $44,162 per year to pursue a Ph.D. program at the University of Pennsylvania.
32. The Ph.D. program at Yale University costs $46,900 yearly.

Here are the detailed statistics for Ph.D. programs at top Lvy League colleges 2022-2023.

(Source: Bestcolleges.com)

College	Annual Tuition Cost	Minimum Stipend Offered
Columbia University	$52,016	$39,990
Cornell University	$30,088	$30,088
Harvard University	$52,456	–
University of Pennsylvania	$44,162	$30,547
Yale University	$46,900	$38,300

33. Similarly, the cost of Ph.D. programs at top public universities is lower than the Ivy colleges in the US.
34. The Florida International University has an annual tuition cost of around $8,202 for resident students, while non-resident students pay around $18,030.
35. The annual tuition cost of a doctoral degree at The Ohio State University is $11,798 for resident students.

Below are some examples of public universities and the cost of Ph.D. programs.

Top Public Universities	Annual Tuition Cost	Minimum Stipend Offered
Florida International University	Resident: $8,202Nonresident: $18,030	$19,194 (depends on the field)
Texas A&M University	Resident: $8,800Nonresident: $18,332	$16,000 (depends on the field)
The Ohio State University	Resident: $11,798Nonresident: $37,758	$21,280
University of Central Florida	Resident: $6,653.70Nonresident: $21,492.90	$18,000
University of Texas, Austin	Resident: $8,684-$10,848Nonresident: $17,312-$19,786	$18,306- $52,993

Moreover, it is also important to note that the cost of different programs in the same universities may vary. 

For instance, the Ph.D. program at Cornell Univerisity for Humanities and Social Sciences costs $30,099 per year. While in the business department of Ph.D. at Cornell University, it offers a program at $41,560.

How Much Does A Ph.D. Cost: Degree Wise

It usually takes around 4 to 8 years to complete a doctorate degree. 

36. The cost of Philosophy from the traditional 8-year Ph.D. program at the University of Florida is around $258,800.
37. According to recent data, the average cost of the Ph.D. program of Philosophy at New York University is around $557,300.

Below, I have mentioned the average cost of a doctorate degree in philosophy over the years.

Year	The Average Cost Of A Doctorate Of Philosophy
1999-2000	$60,500
2003-2004	$67,600
2007-2008	$68,700
2011-2012	$87,300
2015-2016	$121,000

38. The average cost of a Ph.D. in Education is $98,850.

Here is year-wise data on the cost of a Ph.D. in Education.

Year	Cost Of Doctorate Of Education
2003-2004	$77,800
2007-2008	$84,000
2011-2012	$106,400
2015-2016	$127,200

39. On average, the Doctorate of Psychology costs around $115,500.
40. The Ph.D. degree in Psychology takes around 5 to 7 years to complete.

Over the years, here is a change in the average cost of a Doctorate degree in Psychology.

Year	The Average Cost Of A Ph.D. In Psychology
1999-2000	$65,600
2003-2004	$105,100
2007-2008	$119,700
2011-2012	$142,100
2015-2016	$147,300

How Much Does A Ph.D. Cost: By Race

When talking about the Ph.D. cost by race, Black Americans and Asians tend to have the largest amount of average debt and grant aid.

Most of the grant aid comes from the institutions. This financial aid barely accounts for 20% of each race.

41. According to education data, on average Asian doctoral students borrow $16,838 annually for their Ph.D. programs.
42. Hispanic students borrow around $20,246 per year.
43. The median loan borrowed by black students for a doctoral degree is $17,479.
44. White students who are pursuing a Doctoral degree borrow $18,087 annually.

Following is a detailed overview of average doctorate debt by Race.

(Source: educationdata.org)

Race	Average Doctorate Debt
White	$90,900
Black or African American	$136,500
Hispanic	$121,200
Combined Average	$116,200

45. For students who belong to two or more races, the median loan borrowed by them is $20,960 per year.
46. More than 86.6% of the black students pursuing a Ph.D. borrowed money for their education.
47. 55.7% of the white students with a doctoral degree borrowed loans to fund their education.
48. Black students who received financial aid are 25% for their Ph.D. program.
49. Over 56% of Asian students received financial aid for their doctoral program.

How Much Does A Ph.D. Cost: By Gender

Many men and women try to counterbalance the cost of their doctorate degrees with various traineeships and assistantships. 

50. It is seen that there are more male graduates with Ph.D. degrees.
51. On average, women carry more debt than men.
52. Over 38.7% of the men seek financial support while working in research as a trainee or assistant.
53. 27.1% of the women find financial support by working in traineeship and assistantship.
54. There are over 16,780 male students surveyed with no student loan debt.
55. 12,681 female students were surveyed with no student loan debt.

Ph.D. Student Loan Debt

The loan debt for Ph.D. students varies according to the field of specialization. 

56. According to the data from NCES, Math and Computer science doctoral students graduate with $10,686 loan debt on average.
57. The students pursuing the Ph.D. program in education had $47,672 loan debt on average. 

Let’s look at the percentage of doctoral recipients who graduated without student loan debt by field of study.

Field Of Study	Percentage Of Students Who Graduated Without Loan Debt	Average Amount Of Debt
Average of all fields	57.9%	$26,137
Education	42.4%	$47,672
Psychology and social sciences	45.8%	$43,439
Humanities and arts	47.4%	$33,729
Other	53.5%	–
Physical sciences and earth sciences	65.2%	$14,911
Engineering	71.2%	$12,081
Mathematics and computer sciences	75.4%	$10,686

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Conclusion: How Much Does A PhD Cost (2025)

Earning a Ph.D. requires careful financial planning due to the high costs involved. While tuition fees differ by institution and field, additional expenses like housing and materials contribute significantly.

Many students reduce their costs through assistantships, stipends, and grants, but loan debt remains a significant concern, especially among minority and female students.

With an average debt of $126,800 for doctorate recipients, financial aid plays a critical role in making Ph.D. programs accessible. Prospective students should weigh these costs against potential career benefits before committing to a doctoral program.