Cheapest Out-of-State Colleges in 31 States

(The Cheapest Out-of-State Colleges List has been updated for 2022) Back when I was a freshman attending a rather large state university in Austin, Texas, I ran into quite a few students (relatively speaking) from the state of New York. They told me that they were attending college in Texas because our out-of-state tuition was cheaper than their in-state tuition. I only saw them that one year because the following year, the legislature raised out-of-state tuition and Texas was no longer as appealing to New Yorkers as it once was.

That sort of situation isn’t as common today as it once was but it still happens. There are 22 public schools that have a total cost of attendance over $35,000, two are over $40,000. In such cases, some students might consider lower cost out-of-state universities just to expand their list of affordable options.

Cheap Tuition isn’t What it Used to Be

Out-of-state tuition is a major concern of many foreign students who don’t qualify for in-state tuition in any state. The average total cost of attendance for out-of-state residents at public colleges is $37,580 for 2020-21, up from $36,199 in 2019. Surprisingly, the number of public universities where the out-of-state cost is over $40,000 has actually decreased from 183 to 170. Maybe some schools need to fill seats more than they need extra tuition? However, the number charging $50,000 or more has increased from 51 to 55. Fourteen of these schools in California, Michigan, Virginia, and Vermont are charging over $60,000.

The number of state colleges with a total cost of attendance for in-state residents greater than $30,000 has increased from 76 to 79. Therefore, I’m leaving my cut-off for the cheapest out-of-state colleges at $33,000. There are 165 public universities with out-of-state total costs below this level, only down one from last year. The number with prices under $26,000 for non-residents has declined from 47 to 41 since last year.

States with the Most Public Colleges with the Cheapest Cost of Attendance

Wisconsin had the most colleges with a total cost of attendance of $33,000 or less with 11 schools. Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Texas followed with 10 each and Missouri and Georgia had 9 schools. A total of 19 states didn’t have any schools that make the list of cheapest out-of-state colleges. Another 4 have only one school on the list.

• Wisconsin
• Minnesota
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Georgia
• Missouri
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Pennsylvania
• Illinois

Of schools with a total cost of attendance (out-of-state tuition and living expenses) less than $33,000, only 40 qualified as 50-50 schools. These are schools that accept at least 50% of students and have at least a 50% graduation rate. Only 14 states had schools that had out-of-state total cost less than $33,000 and met the 50-50 requirements. Not surprisingly, Wisconsin had the most with 9, followed by Minnesota with 6, and Pennsylvania with 5. A total of 89 of the colleges have at least a 40% five-year graduation rate and 41 have rates of 50% or better. The average national 4-year college graduation rate is 43.7%.

Other Cheapest Out-of-State Colleges Characteristics

The following are some other factors students use when selecting colleges. You can find this information and more on the DIY College Rankings Search Spreadsheet.

Size by Full-time Undergraduates

• 11 have more than 10,000
• 44 are in the Goldilocks‘ ranges of 5,000 to 10,000
• 110 are below 5,000

As in the case for most lists, the number of smaller colleges out-number the larger ones because there are just a lot more smaller colleges period. Of those under 5,000, 65 have 2,500 or fewer full-time undergraduates. The incredible number of small colleges overall represents the greatest diversity in academic, social, and financial opportunities.

Testing Requirements

• 21 Don’t list any
• 43 are “Considered but not required” and include 2 where they are “neither required nor not recommended”
• 11 Recommended

Going into the COVID19 era, an increasing number of schools were going test optional. The state of California dropping the ACT/SAT from its public university admissions requirements was already making big waves. At this point, the NCAA, yes the NCAA, has waived the requirements for scholarship sports. So what will happen when classes resume in person without masks? Who knows? More than likely, students will have at the very least alternative test options at most schools including the cheapest out-of-state colleges.

Athletics

• 18 NAIA
• 10 NCAA FBS
• 28 NCAA FCS
• 6 NCAA D1
• 76 NCAA D2
• 17 NCAA D3

I know, all my diversity talk about small schools doesn’t really apply to Big Time College athletics. The fact that the NCAA Division 2 is the largest conference makes sense since we’re talking about the cheapest out-of-state colleges. The fact is that schools can and do charge students for having popular sports teams. It’s basic supply and demand.

Application Fees

• 15 $50 Plus
• 58 $30-$45
• 51 $15-$25
• 41 $0

It looks like we might have COVID to thank for a decrease in the cost of college applications. The number of schools charging $50 or more dropped from 26 to 15. The number of schools in the two highest categories decreased while those in the two lowest increased from the previous year. The second highest category decreased from 64 to 58. The number not listing any fee increased from 32 to 41 and those in the next category increased from 44 to 51.

How to Avoid Paying Out-of-State Tuition

There are other ways to lower the cost of attending a public university out-of-state. If students live in one of the four regional tuition discount programs, they may be eligible for lower tuition. These programs allow students from member states to pay lower tuition rates. However, there are often limitations such as participating colleges and allowed majors. Students who live along state lines should check for any local tuition exchange programs. As for buying property or getting a job in a state to establish residency, this will all depend on the state.

Cheapest Out-of-State Colleges
(Total Cost of Attendance of $33,000 or Less)

Name	State	Full-time Under-grads	Total price for in-state students 2020-21	Total price for out-of-state students 2020-21
Alabama A & M University	AL	4,663	$23,954	$32,564
Alabama State University	AL	3,289	$22,110	$30,438
Auburn University at Montgomery	AL	3,374	$20,870	$30,830
Jacksonville State University	AL	6,031	$22,429	$32,149
Troy University	AL	8,208	$21,878	$29,678
University of North Alabama	AL	4,708	$22,886	$32,486
University of South Alabama	AL	7,611	$22,866	$30,762
University of West Alabama	AL	1,775	$23,221	$32,321
Arkansas State University	AR	5,836	$23,295	$28,863
Arkansas Tech University	AR	6,227	$20,538	$26,106
Henderson State University	AR	2,334	$26,192	$28,112
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus	AR	2,950	$24,210	$29,250
University of Arkansas at Monticello	AR	1,692	$19,993	$25,843
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	AR	2,158	$21,264	$27,924
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith	AR	3,811	$21,818	$29,090
University of Central Arkansas	AR	7,301	$21,943	$28,753
Albany State University	GA	4,226	$20,870	$31,592
Clayton  State University	GA	3,680	$21,321	$32,043
Dalton State College	GA	2,937	$15,106	$22,012
Fort Valley State University	GA	2,419	$20,704	$31,426
Georgia Southwestern State University	GA	1,683	$20,412	$31,134
Middle Georgia State University	GA	4,802	$16,609	$23,956
Savannah State University	GA	2,642	$17,414	$28,136
University of North Georgia	GA	12,967	$21,086	$30,591
Valdosta State University	GA	7,253	$21,113	$32,168
Lewis-Clark State College	ID	2,161	$18,702	$31,958
Chicago State University	IL	1,086	$26,179	$26,179
Eastern Illinois University	IL	4,082	$25,082	$27,393
Governors State University	IL	1,829	$24,576	$32,088
Northern Illinois University	IL	10,472	$27,402	$27,402
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	IL	6,796	$29,767	$29,767
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville	IL	8,071	$25,921	$25,921
Western Illinois University	IL	4,999	$26,544	$26,544
Purdue University Northwest	IN	5,199	$21,307	$28,099
Fort Hays State University	KS	5,580	$19,364	$29,804
Pittsburg State University	KS	4,260	$20,680	$32,024
Kentucky State University	KY	1,393	$17,778	$21,628
Morehead State University	KY	5,299	$22,932	$27,518
Louisiana State University-Alexandria	LA	2,066	$19,171	$26,526
Louisiana Tech University	LA	7,854	$23,847	$30,589
McNeese State University	LA	5,401	$23,004	$31,042
Nicholls State University	LA	4,968	$23,734	$24,827
Southern University and A & M College	LA	4,547	$24,045	$31,425
Southern University at New Orleans	LA	1,069	$21,629	$30,530
University of New Orleans	LA	5,060	$24,747	$29,583
University of Maine at Augusta	ME	1,469	$21,378	$31,788
University of Maine at Fort Kent	ME	526	$19,985	$24,395
University of Maine at Presque Isle	ME	713	$20,897	$25,307
Coppin State University	MD	1,606	$21,557	$27,954
Fitchburg State University	MA	2,831	$25,620	$31,700
Westfield State University	MA	3,812	$26,020	$32,100
Worcester State University	MA	3,871	$26,222	$32,302
Eastern Michigan University	MI	9,630	$28,302	$28,302
Ferris State University	MI	7,127	$25,263	$25,263
Grand Valley State University	MI	18,013	$25,756	$31,356
Lake Superior State University	MI	1,474	$26,266	$26,266
Northern Michigan University	MI	5,880	$26,282	$31,778
Western Michigan University	MI	13,296	$27,071	$30,095
Bemidji State University	MN	2,753	$21,886	$21,886
Minnesota State University Moorhead	MN	3,529	$22,996	$30,628
Minnesota State University-Mankato	MN	10,526	$21,664	$30,082
Saint Cloud State University	MN	5,959	$21,571	$29,987
Southwest Minnesota State University	MN	1,610	$21,830	$21,830
University of Minnesota-Crookston	MN	1,128	$24,212	$24,212
University of Minnesota-Duluth	MN	7,943	$25,518	$30,718
University of Minnesota-Morris	MN	1,210	$24,860	$26,914
University of Minnesota-Rochester	MN	602	$27,138	$27,138
Winona State University	MN	5,472	$22,630	$28,821
Alcorn State University	MS	2,345	$22,764	$22,764
Delta State University	MS	1,667	$21,406	$21,406
Jackson State University	MS	4,171	$25,217	$26,217
Mississippi University for Women	MS	1,835	$21,188	$21,188
Mississippi Valley State University	MS	1,231	$20,315	$20,315
University of Southern Mississippi	MS	9,644	$24,760	$26,760
Harris-Stowe State University	MO	1,056	$22,537	$27,169
Lincoln University	MO	1,312	$22,544	$29,534
Missouri Southern State University	MO	3,443	$18,464	$25,428
Missouri State University-Springfield	MO	13,128	$22,720	$31,390
Missouri Western State University	MO	3,039	$22,575	$29,000
Northwest Missouri State University	MO	4,813	$20,745	$26,703
Southeast Missouri State University	MO	6,823	$22,997	$29,169
Truman State University	MO	3,687	$22,284	$29,644
University of Central Missouri	MO	6,009	$21,216	$28,344
Montana State University-Northern	MT	729	$17,025	$29,735
The University of Montana-Western	MT	1,060	$18,427	$29,889
Chadron State College	NE	1,439	$23,068	$23,098
Peru State College	NE	1,050	$19,536	$19,536
University of Nebraska at Kearney	NE	3,795	$24,078	$30,280
Wayne State College	NE	2,822	$20,350	$25,930
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus	NM	2,222	$19,622	$21,662
New Mexico Highlands University	NM	1,134	$20,578	$25,018
Western New Mexico University	NM	1,039	$23,252	$30,235
CUNY Hunter College	NY	13,753	$24,377	$32,327
SUNY College of Technology at Canton	NY	2,624	$25,792	$29,722
United States Merchant Marine Academy	NY	1,028	$5,095	$5,095
Elizabeth City State University	NC	1,624	$14,393	$18,393
Fayetteville State University	NC	3,959	$17,556	$29,164
North Carolina A & T State University	NC	9,933	$18,487	$31,997
University of North Carolina at Pembroke	NC	4,945	$18,862	$22,862
Western Carolina University	NC	8,760	$18,874	$22,874
Winston-Salem State University	NC	4,033	$20,825	$31,072
Dickinson State University	ND	966	$20,308	$22,128
Mayville State University	ND	603	$19,496	$22,509
Minot State University	ND	1,836	$19,980	$19,980
North Dakota State University-Main Campus	ND	9,339	$23,246	$27,549
University of North Dakota	ND	7,173	$24,498	$28,768
Valley City State University	ND	894	$19,362	$23,952
Central State University	OH	2,142	$19,906	$21,906
Shawnee State University	OH	2,521	$23,260	$29,303
Wright State University-Lake Campus	OH	831	$22,516	$31,934
Youngstown State University	OH	8,175	$23,928	$24,288
Cameron University	OK	2,304	$16,525	$25,945
East Central University	OK	2,456	$19,590	$28,950
Langston University	OK	1,750	$20,602	$27,982
Northeastern State University	OK	4,155	$18,541	$26,941
Northwestern Oklahoma State University	OK	1,293	$19,173	$26,286
Oklahoma Panhandle State University	OK	1,011	$14,677	$15,421
Rogers State University	OK	2,162	$22,594	$30,934
Southeastern Oklahoma State University	OK	2,349	$17,750	$26,390
Southwestern Oklahoma State University	OK	3,233	$22,563	$29,673
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma	OK	676	$19,200	$30,060
California University of Pennsylvania	PA	3,863	$27,526	$32,144
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania	PA	559	$26,311	$31,577
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania	PA	2,749	$24,738	$29,256
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania	PA	6,286	$28,612	$32,720
Lincoln University	PA	1,680	$24,134	$30,336
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania	PA	1,489	$25,500	$28,066
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	PA	4,733	$29,922	$30,650
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	PA	6,860	$24,572	$28,680
Black Hills State University	SD	1,794	$21,572	$24,642
Dakota State University	SD	1,495	$22,758	$25,828
Northern State University	SD	1,149	$23,075	$26,146
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology	SD	1,701	$25,450	$29,830
South Dakota State University	SD	7,788	$22,476	$25,951
University of South Dakota	SD	4,741	$23,502	$26,977
The University of Tennessee-Martin	TN	4,668	$21,716	$27,756
University of Memphis	TN	12,063	$26,386	$30,226
Angelo State University	TX	5,207	$22,017	$31,833
Midwestern State University	TX	3,851	$22,336	$24,286
Tarleton State University	TX	8,554	$21,849	$31,021
Texas A & M International University	TX	5,512	$20,921	$32,221
Texas Woman’s University	TX	6,873	$22,086	$31,902
The University of Texas at San Antonio	TX	23,018	$20,878	$32,884
The University of Texas Permian Basin	TX	2,004	$19,645	$24,553
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	TX	21,292	$21,709	$31,525
University of Houston-Victoria	TX	1,831	$21,831	$31,647
West Texas A & M University	TX	5,621	$21,806	$23,253
Weber State University	UT	12,042	$21,240	$31,422
Concord University	WV	1,388	$21,733	$31,385
Fairmont State University	WV	2,861	$20,468	$29,544
Glenville State College	WV	1,094	$24,166	$25,794
Shepherd University	WV	2,255	$22,409	$32,849
West Liberty University	WV	1,767	$23,665	$31,605
West Virginia State University	WV	1,498	$25,090	$30,778
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	WI	9,436	$21,111	$29,386
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay	WI	4,826	$19,723	$27,941
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse	WI	8,863	$17,902	$26,721
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	WI	7,863	$19,923	$27,496
University of Wisconsin-Parkside	WI	2,947	$19,884	$28,154
University of Wisconsin-Platteville	WI	6,053	$19,437	$27,712
University of Wisconsin-River Falls	WI	4,800	$18,663	$26,236
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point	WI	6,435	$19,536	$28,240
University of Wisconsin-Stout	WI	5,593	$20,622	$28,589
University of Wisconsin-Superior	WI	1,570	$19,888	$27,461
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	WI	8,946	$19,115	$27,987