You thought Harvard’s yearly tuition (without room and board) of $34,000 was expensive? Or how about the most expensive college in the United States at a rate of $38,000 per year? Then you will be surprised to hear that the service academies’ tuition far surpasses that of any civilian college or university.

For a particular example, the four years of experience at the United States Military Academy at West Point are estimated to be worth $478,000. Producing leaders for the US Army is a very expensive process. Is the investment worth it? Yes, because these future officers protect all American citizens from endangerment and chaos. Also keep in mind that this annual figure of about $120,000 includes everything such as tuition, room & board, and other miscellaneous fees described below.

• Military training, intramural activities, and travel
• Accumulated pay of about $10,000 per year for being in the Army
• Medical and dental care
• Uniforms, clothing, books, computers, and pretty much everything else that is necessary to attend the Academy
• Laundry and haircuts
• After graduation, West Point also pays for graduate school

Many candidates applying to West Point may see these numbers and think, “Great! I’m getting half a million dollars’ worth of education for free!” You are mistaken if you think that a USMA education is free, because you will be paying it off with at least 8 years of service after graduation.

Also remember that West Point is not a college in the sense that you graduate and receive a diploma with no more strings attached. The purpose of the USMA is its famous leadership development program. The four years consist of strenuous academics, physical training, and military training, and a cadet must excel in all three areas to succeed. A Bachelor’s Degree from West Point is a perk because there is much more to it than that.

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