Cheapest Places to Go to College, By State

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Last Updated:Nov 14, 2023

Cheapest Places to Go to College, By State

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A recent report by EducationalData.org reveals the average cost of college in the United States has tripled in 10 years. With an annual growth rate of 2%, the average cost of college for 2022-23 is $36,436 per student per year. What a difference over the annual cost of tuition at a 4-year public college in 1963, which was $2,078 when adjusted for inflation.

The report found the cost of attendance (COA), which includes tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and other fees, could exceed $400,000 by the time a student receives a bachelor's degree.

Here's a look at some of the most interesting facts from the report.

In this article

Most expensive private colleges

Institution	Tuition
^{Columbia University in the City of New York}	^$61,671
^{Bard College at Simon’s Rock}	^$61,169
^{Franklin and Marshall College}	^$61,062
^{Vassar College}	^$60,930
^{Amherst College}	^$60,890
^{Colorado College}	^$60,864
^{Tufts University}	^$60,862
^{Brown University}	^$60,696
^{Reed College}	^$60,620
^{University of Chicago}	^$60,552

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Least expensive private colleges

Institution	Tuition
^{Turtle Mountain Community College}	^$2,250
^{Curtis Institute of Music}	^$3,015
^{Grace Mission University}	^$3,120
^{Sioux Falls Seminary}	^$3,600
^{Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa}	^$4,220
^{United Tribes Technical College}	^$4,252
^{Brigham Young University-Idaho}	^$4,300
^{Pacific Bible College}	^$4,370
^{Huntsville Bible College}	^$4,560
^{Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Online Campus}	^$5,080

Cheapest in-state tuition by state

State	Tuition
Vermont	$17,593
New Hampshire	$16,749
Illinois	$14,579
Pennsylvania	$14,532
Connecticut	$14,487
New Jersey	$14,184
Massachusetts	$13,939
Virginia	$13,931
Michigan	$13,716
Rhode Island	$13,697
South Carolina	$12,544
Minnesota	$11,836
Oregon	$11,537
Arizona	$11,410
Delaware	$11,343
Kentucky	$10,976
Alabama	$10,617
Maine	$10,377
Tennessee	$10,271
Hawaii	$10,197
Ohio	$10,049
Indiana	$9,656
Louisiana	$9,656
Maryland	$9,401
Iowa	$9,373
Missouri	$9,310
Colorado	$9,269
Kansas	$9,081
North Dakota	$9,065
South Dakota	$9,012
Alaska	$8,849
Wisconsin	$8,782
Nebraska	$8,761
Mississippi	$8,642
Arkansas	$8,468
New York	$8,416
California	$8,401
West Virginia	$8,252
Oklahoma	$8,064
Texas	$8,016
Georgia	$7,525
Washington	$7,485
Idaho	$7,482
New Mexico	$7,393
North Carolina	$7,260
Montana	$6,993
Utah	$6,764
Nevada	$6,434
District of Columbia	$6,152
Wyoming	$4,785
Florida	$4,541

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Average costs

Beyond the price of admission, students will pay the most for living expenses, whether on campus or off. The report found that 87% of students reside off campus. However, most colleges and universities require first-year students to reside in student housing (on campus). However, EducationData.org found the growth of on-campus housing rates outpaced those of rent between 2003 and 2014. In 2003, the average dorm cost was 29% below the median rent price, but by 2014 it was only 7% below. Still, it is cheaper to live on campus.

Student loans

It's no wonder most students need to borrow money to attend college. The report found the average student borrows more than $30,000, with the student loan debt average at $37,787.

EducationData's secondary report on student loan debt found that 30% of undergrads borrow from the federal government. This includes:

Stafford Loans: 52.8% (18.6% subsidized, 34.2% unsubsidized)
Direct Consolidated Loans: 35.5%
Parent PLUS Loans: 6.4%
Grad PLUS Loans: 5%
Perkins Loans: 0.4%

Students attending public universities average $33,500 to earn a bachelor's degree. For those in private universities, non-profit school students borrow $33,700, while for-profit education loans average $49,700.

The report found the student loan growth rates to outpace the rising tuition costs by 166.9%.

Private student loans account for 7.71% of student loan debt. Of sources of debt, 95% of students have student loan debt, with another 23% using credit cards to fund education needs.

Related: Best Private Student Loans

Student loan debt by degrees

Degree	Loan debt
Bachelors	$32,714
Masters	$83,651
Doctoral	$125,276
Professional	$250,426

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No origination fees, late fees, and no insufficient fund fees
Flexible repayment options to help you find the right loan for you
Student loans for college, graduate, law, MBA, Health Professionals, and Parent loans
Students are 5x more likely to be approved with a cosigner
0.25% discount when you set up autopay

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The bottom line

With the average college tuition per academic year for college students at state schools costing $9,678, undergraduate students rely on student aid to get a college education. To find federal funding, apply through the Free Application for Federal Student Loans (FAFSA) and complete a College Board CSS Profile. This will determine your need for grants, scholarships, and federal funding, and you'll receive a student loan package you may accept or deny to attend the school that makes the offer. To round out additional expenses, a private loan from a bank or similar lender may be necessary.

Is it worth taking on the debt associated with a college education? Fifty-two percent of students did not think so, according to EducationData. But nearly half did think it was worth it, so you should be the judge.

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Lissa Poirot is an award-winning journalist and editor with a focus on finance, travel and health. Her work has appeared online and in print, and she has often been cited as a source on both. She currently resides in Pennsylvania.

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