Program Face-Off

Schools rarely present their numbers the same way, which makes them hard to compare in your head. Enter what each one tells you—cost per year, length, format, accreditation, completion rate—for up to three programs, and the worksheet lines them up on the same rows. It totals the real cost by multiplying cost per year by length, so a cheaper-sounding program that runs longer can’t hide.

Blanks aren’t a problem; they’re the point. Any missing key answer—name, cost, length, or accreditation—is flagged as something to confirm, turning gaps into a list of questions for the admissions office. Two limits: the total counts tuition only, not aid, living costs, or price increases, so run your top choice through the True Cost Calculator for the fuller picture; and outcomes are only as good as what you enter, so verify them on the College Scorecard. Everything stays in this browser—export a CSV to keep or share a copy.