Every path, side by side
A quick comparison of the main paths after high school. Costs are averages after grants, so your own price could be higher or lower; open each path for details and sources. These aren't rankings. The right path depends on what you want to do.
Four-year college
- Cost
- Half of public four-year colleges have an average net price under $14,318 a year; private nonprofit, under $23,169.
- How long
- Four years for a bachelor's degree.
- Paid along the way?
- No, though many students work part time.
- What you owe after
- Any loans you take out.
Source: College Scorecard, our calculation (pulled November 4, 2026)
Community college, then transfer
- Cost
- Half of public community and technical colleges have an average net price under $7,315 a year, for the first two years.
- How long
- About two years there, then two at a university, if your credits transfer.
- Paid along the way?
- No.
- What you owe after
- Any loans you take out.
Source: College Scorecard, our calculation (pulled November 6, 2026)
Trade or career school
- Cost
- Half of certificate-focused schools have an average net price under $17,923 a year. Many are for-profit, so compare with community colleges.
- How long
- A certificate or a two-year associate degree.
- Paid along the way?
- No.
- What you owe after
- Any loans you take out.
Source: College Scorecard, our calculation (pulled November 6, 2026)
Apprenticeship
- Cost
- You're hired and learn on the job.
- How long
- Depends on the trade; see each job's page.
- Paid along the way?
- Yes, you're hired. Fully trained workers in the 29 jobs we cover earn a median of $45,690 to $109,910 a year.
- What you owe after
- Nothing.
Source: BLS wage data, May 2025
Service year
- Cost
- Free. Programs like AmeriCorps NCCC cover housing and meals.
- How long
- A few months to a year (AmeriCorps NCCC: 10 to 11 months).
- Paid along the way?
- A living allowance, plus a $7,395 education award when you finish a full AmeriCorps term.
- What you owe after
- Nothing.
Military
- Cost
- Free. ROTC scholarships and the academies cover college tuition.
- How long
- Enlistment contracts vary; ROTC means eight years of service, the academies at least nine years in all.
- Paid along the way?
- Yes, service members are paid. The GI Bill helps pay for school afterward.
- What you owe after
- Years of required service.
Teach yourself
- Cost
- Many courses are free. CLEP exams for college credit cost $97 each, or nothing through Modern States.
- How long
- Your pace.
- Paid along the way?
- No.
- What you owe after
- Nothing.
Source: College Board and Modern States, on our teach yourself page
Fellowship
- Cost
- Free.
- How long
- The Thiel Fellowship runs two years.
- Paid along the way?
- The Thiel Fellowship gives $250,000 over two years, but very few people get one.
- What you owe after
- Nothing, but you must leave school to accept.
"Average net price" is what students who got grant aid paid per year, including living costs, after grants and scholarships, as each school reports it to the U.S. Department of Education. "Half of schools under" means the median across the schools in our lists.