# Costs, compensation, and financing

## Verified reference figures

These are planning figures, not promises. Recheck immediately before applying
and compare the written admission offer.

| Program/source | Year | Published figure | Planning interpretation |
|---|---:|---:|---|
| Stanford Engineering graduate tuition, 11–18 units | 2026–27 | **$23,239/quarter** | Sticker tuition is about $69,717 for three regular quarters before living costs; a funded PhD offer should separately specify tuition coverage, stipend, insurance, and summer support |
| Stanford Engineering graduate tuition, 8–10 units | 2026–27 | **$15,100/quarter** | Relevant reduced load; do not infer funding from tuition alone |
| San José State graduate tuition/fees, 6.1+ units | published Fall 2025 guide | **$9,934/year** | Guide estimates total annual budget at $28,339 living with parents, $36,413 campus, or $40,012 off campus; update for entry year and residency |
| Georgia Tech institute minimum doctoral assistantship | 2026–27 | **$2,291/month** | Floor for qualifying one-third-time-or-greater GRA/GTA, not a guaranteed offer |
| Georgia Tech CEE typical stated stipends | current FAQ viewed 2026-08-03 | **$2,450/month pre-candidacy; $2,600 post-candidacy** | CEE says assistantships waive most tuition; verify months paid, fees, insurance, summer, and appointment fraction |
| Georgia Tech CEE typical MS GRA/GTA | current FAQ viewed 2026-08-03 | **$2,300/month** | CEE reports roughly half of graduate students funded; never assume an MS award |

Official sources: [Stanford tuition](https://studentservices.stanford.edu/tuition-rates/2026-2027-graduate-and-professional-tuition-rates),
[SJSU graduate budget guide](https://phones.sjsu.edu/enrollmentmanagement/docs/fall2025/Steps-to-graduate-admission-termless2024.pdf),
[Georgia Tech stipend policy](https://policylibrary.gatech.edu/academic-affairs/stipends-graduate-assistantships),
and [Georgia Tech CEE funding FAQ](https://ce.gatech.edu/academics/graduate/faqs).

## Application-cost ledger

For every school record: application fee; fee-waiver eligibility/deadline;
transcript charges; test and score-report fees; portfolio or credential evaluation;
interview/visit travel; enrollment deposit; and forgone work hours. Put `TBD`—not
zero—where a current official value has not been captured. Stanford Engineering
advertises school-based hardship waivers and asks for processing time.

## Offer comparison

Compute annual net cash as:

`stipend + fellowships + employer support - uncovered tuition - mandatory fees - insurance - local living budget - relocation - taxes`

Also score: guaranteed years, summer coverage, teaching load, advisor portability,
health/dependent coverage, conference/research budget, internship permission,
outside-work rules, and expected time to degree. A nominally larger Silicon
Valley stipend can buy less discretionary time than a smaller Atlanta offer.

## Financing order

1. Tuition waiver/remission plus GRA, GTA, traineeship, or fellowship
2. External fellowships and agency/industry research sponsorship
3. Employer tuition assistance for a part-time technical MS
4. Savings/current earnings for application and prerequisite costs
5. Federal aid for eligible accredited study after FAFSA counseling
6. Loans only after calculating total repayment and lost retirement savings

Avoid self-funding a research PhD. For an MS, set a written maximum net price and
require a concrete return: prerequisites, licensure progress, research access,
or a compensated career transition.

## Career compensation scenarios

Do not present a degree as a guaranteed raise. Compare actual offers across:
research scientist/computer vision roles; infrastructure or rail AI; civil/data
systems research; public-sector engineering analytics; consulting; and academia.
Use BLS, state pay scales, university collective agreements, and named job
postings for the target metro at decision time. Preserve the user’s personal
planning target—**$92,344 annual income, necessities at or below $25,000, and
10% charitable giving**—as a scenario, not an admissions claim. The key measure
is sustainable after-tax cash flow, health coverage, and time for meaningful work.