MPH Cost and Loan Calculator

How the Calculator Works

Choose any MPH on this site and the calculator fills in the credits and per-credit tuition the school publishes. Programs that publish tuition per term, per year or as a total show that figure in the note under the search box, so you can enter it yourself. Fees vary a lot from school to school, so add the fees from the school's tuition page if you know them.

The federal loan figure follows the 2026 limits: at most $20,500 for each year of study, never more than $100,000 in total, and never more than what you still need after your savings and aid. Each disbursement loses the 1.06% loan fee, so the calculator borrows enough to cover the fee when the limit allows it.

Interest starts on the day each loan is paid out. The calculator adds the interest that builds from each year's disbursement to the end of the six-month grace period, then spreads the balance over the repayment term you pick at 8.07%. The last figure divides that payment by the monthly median pay for the career and state you choose, so you can see whether the debt fits the job.

What Changed for Graduate Loans in 2026

For anyone whose loans are all first paid out on or after July 1, 2026, Grad PLUS loans are gone and graduate Direct Unsubsidized Loans are capped at $20,500 a year and $100,000 in total. Before this, Grad PLUS could cover the full cost of attendance. For an MPH, that means a program with tuition above roughly $20,500 a year now needs another source of money for the rest.

Two details matter for MPH students. Awards are reduced if you enroll less than full time, which affects many part-time online students. And students already enrolled on June 30, 2026 who borrowed for their program before July 1, 2026 can keep borrowing under the old rules for a limited time. Check the MPH scholarships and funding guide for the full list of funding sources.

Ways to Lower the Number

• Compare per-credit tuition. The affordable MPH programs list sorts every program that publishes a per-credit rate, lowest first.
• Use employer aid. Employers can exclude up to $5,250 a year of educational assistance from your taxable wages, and graduate courses qualify.
• Plan for public service. Public Service Loan Forgiveness cancels the remaining Direct Loan balance after 120 qualifying payments while you work full time for a government employer or a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, which covers most health departments.
• Check the application route. Programs that take applications through SOPHAS charge the SOPHAS fee on top of any school fee. The application timeline planner keeps those deadlines straight.