WORCESTER ― When high school students pick what college to attend, there are more than a few variables they consider.

Cost ends up being an inevitable factor for their decision, with students holding out for scholarships or grants, and bracing for decades-long loan burdens.

At private, four-year colleges in Worcester, the total cost of undergraduate attendance for the 2024-25 academic year is projected to average higher than $75,000 and even top $80,000 for two universities.

By its own estimates, the College of the Holy Cross sees a first-year undergraduate student paying up to $83,320, which includes a tuition cost of $63,650, housing costs of $10,500 and $8,320 for a meal plan, according to data provided by the school.

The bump to above $80,000 will be a first for the college. While Holy Cross was the most expensive school in the city last year, the total cost of attendance was projected to be $78,600. Tuition accounts for most of the cost increase; it was $60,050 for the previous school year.

At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the projected cost for next school year is $81,751 for incoming undergraduate first-year students, according to data provided by the school.

The estimated costs are $59,700 in tuition, $10,000 in housing and $8,386 for food, among other fees.

WPI had estimated total costs for the current academic year at $79,342: $57,960 for tuition, $9,800 for housing and $8,272 for a meal plan.

Spokespeople for Holy Cross and WPI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Clark University listed its projected total cost for the coming academic year at $75,707, or $57,440 in tuition costs (a bump from this year’s $54,760,) $7,450 in rooming costs and $5,050 for a standard meal plan. The Clark estimate also includes $2,390 for health insurance and $900 for textbooks.

Assumption College projects its total cost to be $70,800 for the coming academic year.

That includes $50,494 for tuition, $9,970 for housing and $5,782 in meal plan costs, along with $1,000 for personal expenses and $800 for transportation. This year, a first-year undergraduate student at Assumption was projected to pay a total $68,218 for all costs.

Compared to colleges across the nation, Worcester private colleges tend to be more expensive than average. Nationwide, the cost of attendance for the 2022-23 academic year averaged $57,570, according to the College Board.

For in-state students at public, four-year colleges the total cost nationwide averaged $27,940 during the same year. That’s more than double what Worcester State University estimated as the total in-state cost of attendance for the current academic year.

Worcester State estimated the total cost for a first-year, Massachusetts resident student in the current academic year to be $11,286, and $17,366 for an full-time student from out of state.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross, WPI estimate annual cost of attendance at over $80K