As a non-American, I've been looking at programs across many US schools as I'm interested in applying there next year, but I find it baffling how schools like to keep their fees really, really well hidden. You often need to navigate 3 or 4 pages from the program overview to get there, or they show you the credit rates and credit hours but they can't just put the tuition fee there. Instead, they make you do the simple calculation.

Is there some psychology behind this? Most European programs I've checked have the fee right there at the very top, easy to see, without anything to hide.

I just find it a bad start and a bad image for prospective students when your potential school hides things from you right from the beginning, even though they know you will find out anyway.

If you need to know the price, you can't afford it?