Cost of Pharmacy school. Is this typical?

[owlbright]

I have done some calculations lately after being accepted into a public school with in-state tuition ~20k a year for 4 years. It's not in the local so I gotta pay for rent and other living expenses.

Here is what I've thought of:
Tuition alone: 85k-90k presumably little yearly increase; however, I heard tuition for the 4th year rotation would be more expensive, plus hotel/gas fees all across the state (it's a vast state) for 7 six-week long rotations. So lets be more conservative, and it might hit 100k in the end.
Living expense: Rent/Gas/Health Insurance/Food/Vehicle Maintenance/Recreational fees, easily go up to 10k/year, which makes 40k-45k in total.
Other fees: like Books, IPPE/APPE/Midyear conference fees, no idea how much they would cost. Let's assume 10k for 4 years.

So in the end, I would be having 150k debt upon graduation. Does that sound about right? Or am I overestimating/underestimating it? Is that the average cost for most of the pharmacy students nowadays? Any thing that I have been missing and need to be taken into consideration? Are there any other expense that I could potentially cut down a bit to lower the risk?

Any advice?

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[oldstock]

I have done some calculations lately after being accepted into a public school with in-state tuition ~20k a year for 4 years. It's not in the local so I gotta pay for rent and other living expenses.

Here is what I've thought of:
Tuition alone: 85k-90k presumably little yearly increase; however, I heard tuition for the 4th year rotation would be more expensive, plus hotel/gas fees all across the state (it's a vast state) for 7 six-week long rotations. So lets be more conservative, and it might hit 100k in the end.
Living expense: Rent/Gas/Health Insurance/Food/Vehicle Maintenance/Recreational fees, easily go up to 10k/year, which makes 40k-45k in total.
Other fees: like Books, IPPE/APPE/Midyear conference fees, no idea how much they would cost. Let's assume 10k for 4 years.

So in the end, I would be having 150k debt upon graduation. Does that sound about right? Or am I overestimating/underestimating it? Is that the average cost for most of the pharmacy students nowadays? Any thing that I have been missing and need to be taken into consideration? Are there any other expense that I could potentially cut down a bit to lower the risk?

Any advice?

I think you underestimate it a little actually. I would reserve:

-1k per month minimum for rent + utilities + car/insurance/gas + phone + internet + food + health insurance: 300/mth rent + 150/mth gas/electric + phone 50/mth + 200/mth food + 200/mth gas for car/commute + 50-100/mth car insurance + 50-100/mth health insurance

this is not including recreation activities or entertainment and you are basically living like a monk on this budget. This is already ~ 12k per year or 48k for 4 yrs

-1k per year minimum for traveling/visiting family twice a year or 4k for 4 years

-other school related expenses: 10k for 4 years is about right

-unexpected expenses: I would budget for at least 1k per year or 4k for 4 yrs

48 + 4 + 10 + 4 = 66k

66 + 100 = 166k = ~ 170k

So, 150 - 170k if everything goes smoothly... I think it is hard to cut down anything from this estimate. The biggest item from the list is the cost of living and I already use the cheapest numbers

 

[owlbright]

I already see myself as a monk now

And I forgot the interest if unsubsidized loans were needed, which would be huge after yearly compounding.

 

[oldstock]

I already see myself as a monk now

And I forgot the interest if unsubsidized loans were needed, which would be huge after yearly compounding.

You will be able to borrow subsidized stafford loans if your pharm school consider the 1st two years undegrad (vs. some do consider all 4 years grad then you are not eligible for subsidized stafford but only unsub stafford loans + grad plus loans).

You are still lucky to get that cheap tuition thou...

But do check out this (from DM 36 yr old got laid off thread in the pharmacy forum),

I spoke with one of the state inspectors last week when he dropped by for an inspection; he said Walgreens is now hiring new grads in California for $40-something an hour.

Still wanting to go in pharmacy with all that debts ??

 

[Sugoi Travis]

Sounds about right IMO. If you want to slash that 150k down, get a job. You'll be able to free yourself from some of the debt you'll incur and also give yourself a little bit more disposable income for unexpected occurrences in life.

In regards to getting a job (hopefully an intern position at a retail chain or hospital), don't even think about trying to get a position nearby your school because it's gonna be saturated to the brim. Try 20-30 miles away from your school as a start and you'll have better luck.