See how many credits a minor genuinely adds to your schedule after overlap — and what that costs in time and money.
The credits a minor requires aren't the same as the credits it actually adds — any course that also counts toward your major, a general education requirement, or a free elective you'd take anyway is not really an extra cost. This calculator subtracts that overlap to find your genuinely extra credit count, then checks whether your normal "spare capacity" per semester (room in your schedule beyond your usual course load) can absorb them without delaying graduation. If it can't, it estimates the extra semester and cost.
Do minors always cost extra money? Not always. If most of the minor's required courses overlap with electives or general education requirements you'd take anyway, a minor can add close to zero extra cost. The cost climbs when the minor requires courses that don't count toward anything else you're already taking.
How many credits does a typical minor require? Most minors require 15 to 24 credits, roughly half of what a major requires. Check your specific program's requirements rather than assuming a standard number.
Is a minor worth it if it doesn't add any extra time? If a minor fits entirely within your existing schedule and doesn't delay graduation, it's close to a free addition to your resume — the main cost becomes the opportunity cost of not using those elective credits for something else.
Should I pick a minor that's closely related to my major, or something completely different? A closely related minor tends to be easier to fit into your schedule since it may share prerequisites. An unrelated minor can round out your profile but is more likely to require dedicated extra credits with less overlap. Neither is objectively better — it depends on your goals.
Double Major vs. Minor vs. Switching Majors — which fits your situation.
Do Major + Minor Combinations Actually Matter? — real examples, honestly examined.
Major Switch Cost Calculator — the larger-scale version of this same math.
Credit Overload Calculator — see if taking extra credits per semester is worth it.
Degree ROI Calculator — see the lifetime payoff of your degree.