The Cost of Skipping Class

It’s Monday morning. Your alarm goes off, your bed feels like a cloud, and for a split second, skipping class seems like the smartest move you could make. 

You convince yourself: I’ll catch up later. A little extra sleep won’t hurt. I’ll actually be more productive if I don’t go.

College differs from high school in many ways. The biggest one? You have to hold yourself accountable. Class often feels…optional.

But what if I told you every time you hit snooze instead of going to class, you’re actually throwing away money? Sounds extreme, but when you break down tuition costs, that skipped lecture adds up fast.

Let’s break it down. According to Neumann University, tuition per semester for a full-time student (12–19 credits) is $19,065.

If we divide that tuition by the number of credits you take, we get the cost per credit. Multiply that by three, and you have the cost of a typical 3-credit course:

Examples for a 3-credit class:

Part-time students (1–11 credits) pay $865 per credit, meaning a typical 3-credit course costs $2,595.

Now, let’s figure out the cost per session. There are roughly 14 weeks of classes in a semester (not including finals or holiday breaks).

Full-Time Student: 

Part-Time Student:

At a minimum, skipping one 3-credit class that meets three times a week costs you around $90 per session. That’s money down the drain for literally doing nothing.

So next time your bed feels too cozy to leave, ask yourself: ‘Is that nap really worth ninety bucks?’