Billionaire Mark Cuban is doubling down on his idea that medical school in the U.S. should be tuition-free. “There are 100k students in med school each year. Room and board is about 100k per year. For $10B a year, med school could be free,” Cuban said recently on Bluesky.
- Massive Demand & Disruptive Potential – Boxabl has received interest for over 190,000 homes, positioning itself as a major disruptor in the housing market.
- Revolutionary Manufacturing Approach – Inspired by Henry Ford’s assembly line, Boxabl’s foldable tiny homes are designed for high-efficiency production, making homeownership more accessible.
- Affordable Investment Opportunity – With homes priced at $60,000, Boxabl is raising $1 billion to scale production, offering investors a chance to own a stake in its growth.
A Bold Proposal With Economic Upside
Cuban believes this kind of investment “would see a wholesale change in the profession, career paths and the cost of care.” He argues that high education costs force students to make financial decisions that limit their options and ultimately hurt the healthcare system.
Don't Miss:
- Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Back a bold new approach to cancer treatment with high-growth potential.
- GoSun's Breakthrough Rooftop EV Charger Already Has 2,000+ Units Reserved — Become an Investor in This $41.3M Clean Energy Brand Today
This isn’t a new idea for him. Back in December, Cuban floated a similar plan, saying the government could fund free medical school for under $2.5 billion a year. At the time, Cuban estimated the cost by multiplying the number of students by average expenses, noting there are fewer than 25,000 medical students in the U.S. and average annual costs are typically below $100,000 per student.
He also suggested that private companies might be willing to cover students’ education in exchange for post-graduate employment, especially as AI and other technologies reshape health care.
Pushback From Congress
Cuban's renewed comments came as the Senate passed a tax bill on July 1 that includes, among other things, new limits on how much students can borrow for medical and other professional degrees. It is now before the House for final approval. The proposed cap is $200,000, well below the real cost of attending med school.
Trending: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — And You Can Invest At Just $6.37/Share
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the median cost for the class of 2025 is $286,454 at public institutions and $390,848 at private ones.
Many in the medical field say these changes could shut out low-income and first-generation students, push them toward private loans with worse terms, and worsen the doctor shortage, especially in rural and primary care settings.
“When they come into medical education, more times than not, they don’t have co-signers,” Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine President John L. Hummer told Politico.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), who earned his medical degree in 1987 when tuition was a fraction of today's cost, wasn’t sympathetic. "Anyone who is paying more than $100,000 to go to school is making a huge mistake," he told Politico.
See Also: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation.
A Strategic Investment
Cuban frames free medical education as a smart long-term investment. After all, more doctors could improve access to care and reduce delays, allowing illnesses to be caught and treated earlier, which would result in better health outcomes for many Americans.
In February 2024, that vision came to life in one corner of the country. Ruth Gottesman, widow of Warren Buffett's longtime associate David Gottesman, donated $1 billion to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, making tuition free for all future students.
And a $1 billion donation from Michael Bloomberg to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore removes financial barriers for medical students from families making less than $300,000 per year. Living expenses are also covered for those earning less than $175,000.
Read Next: Are you rich? Here’s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.
Image: Shutterstock
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
