I have the following options with me for MS Structural Engineering:
Stanford University (No funding) - expense estimate is $75,000 for complete course (5 quarters)
Purdue University (No funding) - expense estimate is $55,000 for complete course (3 semesters)
VirginiaTech (No funding) - expense estimate is $52,000 for complete course (3 semesters)
UB SUNY (Funding offered - 50% TA) - expense estimate is $45,000 for complete course (3 semesters)
I am very much excited about joining Stanford, and in fact all other universities have at least one professor whose work is of my interest. However, I am not sure if its worth spending $75,000 which will leave me with a debt of around $50,000. Compared to Purdue or Virginia, Stanford will cost me only 20 grands extra and hence I could convenience myself to opt between Stanford without funding and UB with funding.
I have no plans of PhD as of now. Any suggestions are most welcome, I am finding it really difficult to select one out of the two.