As college tuition costs soar, many people have become interested in online study as perhaps a less expensive alternative to studying on campus. Online study is not always cheaper, however. Tuition costs are relatively comparable between the two, and differences generally arise in fees, supplies, transportation, and housing costs.

Traditional and online programs share some costs:

• Tuition

• Fees, such as administrative, health, or lab fees

• Textbooks

• Supplies, such as pens or paperclips

Online students, for example, will not have to worry about leaving home and having to cover the cost of a dormitory or apartment. Parking permits or quarters for a meter are another non-issue. Costs that vary include lab fees: campus students might have to pay for access to computer labs or science labs, while online students might have to pay extra for access to the online software.

A large cost difference often arises in the cost of having a personal computer. While many on-campus students elect to have their own computer and Internet access, many rely on campus computer labs for access to the web, software programs, and printing. An online student does not necessarily have to own their own computer, but they must have reliable access. Online students who travel for business often choose to have a notebook computer with wireless access. An additional cost with such a set-up often includes a subscription to a wireless network.

About.com offers a Cost Comparison Chart that provides an opportunity to calculate side by side the differences when comparing an online program to a traditional, on-campus program.

At the Art Institute, tuition fees vary by campus location, though nearly all campus programs cost more per credit hour than do online programs. At the Indianapolis campus, for example, tuition* is $414 per credit hour, while online programs are $407 per credit hour. Online programs, however, have an additional $100 lab fee per course.

Kaplan University's only tuition difference between online and campus programs is an $85 technology fee assessed per term for online students. All courses, regardless of where they are taken, are $305 per credit, which includes the cost of textbooks.

Tuition for Penn State's on-campus MBA program is significantly less expensive than its online counterpart, the iMBA. Yearly, the on-campus program totals $18,252 for tuition and fees, while the online program is $24,000 for tuition, fees, residency room and board, and textbooks.

Each student will find unique situations with associated costs in both online and on-campus study. When weighing the differences between the two, students are wise to look beyond tuition costs and examine the costs that might come with travel, child care, computer equipment, and more.

*All tuition costs current as of March 2007