There are a number of different issues that an individual may have to address before he or she applies to an accounting school, but one of the major concerns that many individuals have concerning an accounting program is the cost. This is because the tuition for an accounting program in the United States typically costs between $3,000 and $12,000 a year for a public university and between $20,000 and $45,000 a year for a private university. Attending an accounting school, as a result, can be an extremely expensive endeavor, and it may cost an individual tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, to pay the tuition for a four-year college. Unfortunately, these numbers only increase once you factor everything in, as tuition costs are not the only fees that you may be required to pay.

1. One cost of accounting school that can significantly increase the total cost of your education is the cost of transportation and/or the cost for room and board. This is because the average cost for a student to travel from home to school if he or she is a commuter or to transport his or her belongings to and from his or her dorm room if he or she is living on campus is typically between $500 and $1,500 a year depending on the distance the student travels. The average cost for a student to live on campus is typically between $5,500 and $10,000 a year depending on the area in which the school is located. This means that a student may have to pay anywhere from $500 to $11,500 to pay for his or her commuting and/or room and board expenses in addition to tuition costs.
2. Another cost of accounting school that many people forget to factor in is the cost of their textbooks. This is actually an extremely important factor to consider if you are on a tight budget because the average cost of books for an accounting and/or business student is typically between $500 and $1,200 a semester. This means that students may be required to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $2,400 a year for their textbooks in addition to other school-related costs.
3. The third cost of accounting school that many people tend to overlook is the cost of their application and testing fees. The average cost for a student to apply to a school is typically between $15 and $150, though there are some schools that do not have an application fee. The testing fee for a student depends on the test, however. The fee to take the SAT Reasoning Test is typically $47, the fee to take the ACT is typically $33, the fee to take the GMAT is typically $250, and the fee to take the GRE is typically $160. This means that student may be required to pay anywhere from $33 to $510 for their application and testing fees in addition to their other expenses.
4. The fourth and final cost that many people forget to factor in is the cost of all the equipment, food, and other things that an individual may need to attend college. This is another extremely important factor to consider if you are on a tight budget because the average cost for computers, computer software, dorm room necessities (such as food, toiletries, utensils, etc.), and other similar items for an accounting and/or business student is typically between $1,000 and $2,500 a year. This means that, in the end, a student may be required to pay a grand total of anywhere from $22,000 to $250,000 for all of the expenses that he or she may incur from a four-year college.