Cheapest colleges by state for families under $48k

What lower-income families actually pay at public 4-year colleges, after grants.

For families earning up to $48,000, the typical public 4-year college costs $6,373 a year after grants in Indiana, and $17,507 in Montana. Blue is cheaper than the middle state, red is dearer.

Median yearly net price for families earning $0–48,000, public 4-year colleges, in today's dollars. States with fewer than 3 such colleges are blank. Net price: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26.
See every state as a list
Median yearly net price for families earning $0–48,000, public 4-year colleges, in today's dollars. States with fewer than 3 such colleges are blank. Net price: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26.
StateMedian net price
Alabama$17k
Alaska—
Arizona$14k
Arkansas$15k
California$8k
Colorado$13k
Connecticut$14k
Delaware—
District of Columbia—
Florida$8k
Georgia$10k
Hawaii$8k
Idaho$13k
Illinois$10k
Indiana$6k
Iowa$13k
Kansas$12k
Kentucky$10k
Louisiana$12k
Maine$12k
Maryland$13k
Massachusetts$11k
Michigan$8k
Minnesota$11k
Mississippi$14k
Missouri$14k
Montana$18k
Nebraska$12k
Nevada$12k
New Hampshire$15k
New Jersey$11k
New Mexico$13k
New York$10k
North Carolina$10k
North Dakota$11k
Ohio$11k
Oklahoma$11k
Oregon$15k
Pennsylvania$12k
Rhode Island—
South Carolina$15k
South Dakota$17k
Tennessee$11k
Texas$12k
Utah$13k
Vermont—
Virginia$11k
Washington$10k
West Virginia$10k
Wisconsin$10k
Wyoming—

Every state, cheapest first

StateMedian net priceCollegesThree cheapest
Indiana$6,37312Indiana University-Kokomo $2,526; Indiana University-Northwest $2,742; Indiana University-Indianapolis $5,466
California$7,57533California State University-Los Angeles $1,546; California State University-Stanislaus $1,736; California State University-Bakersfield $2,338
Hawaii$7,9503University of Hawaii-West Oahu $5,058; University of Hawaii at Manoa $7,950; University of Hawaii at Hilo $8,993
Florida$8,33113University of Florida-Online $685; University of Florida $2,019; Florida State University $4,576
Michigan$8,47615Michigan Technological University $501; University of Michigan-Ann Arbor $3,428; University of Michigan-Flint $3,924
Washington$9,7158University of Washington-Tacoma Campus $7,401; Washington State University $7,436; University of Washington-Seattle Campus $7,862
Wisconsin$9,76313University of Wisconsin-Madison $3,816; University of Wisconsin-Parkside $8,170; University of Wisconsin-Green Bay $8,885
Kentucky$9,8488Northern Kentucky University $6,688; Morehead State University $7,465; Murray State University $7,703
Illinois$9,90112University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign $1,883; Western Illinois University $4,250; University of Illinois Springfield $5,266
West Virginia$10,05110West Liberty University $4,089; Marshall University $4,709; Concord University $7,864
North Carolina$10,09316University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill $2,688; University of North Carolina School of the Arts $6,359; Elizabeth City State University $6,448
New York$10,35229CUNY York College $534; United States Merchant Marine Academy $1,493; Farmingdale State College $1,588
Georgia$10,41121Dalton State College $1,449; Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College $5,695; Savannah State University $6,777
Ohio$10,68220Ohio University-Eastern Campus $4,746; University of Akron Wayne College $5,186; Youngstown State University $5,765
Minnesota$10,84312University of Minnesota-Morris $1,736; University of Minnesota-Rochester $5,160; University of Minnesota-Crookston $5,325
Oklahoma$10,94512Southeastern Oklahoma State University $6,703; Cameron University $7,007; Northwestern Oklahoma State University $7,538
Tennessee$10,99310The University of Tennessee Southern $6,840; Austin Peay State University $8,064; The University of Tennessee-Martin $8,260
Massachusetts$11,07813Massachusetts Maritime Academy $4,248; Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts $6,154; Salem State University $9,507
Virginia$11,14115William & Mary $4,016; University of Virginia's College at Wise $4,861; Virginia Military Institute $7,393
North Dakota$11,1916Mayville State University $9,137; Minot State University $9,337; Valley City State University $10,253
New Jersey$11,31713Kean University $9,106; New Jersey City University $9,324; Ramapo College of New Jersey $9,431
Nebraska$11,6646Peru State College $8,937; University of Nebraska at Omaha $10,981; Chadron State College $11,131
Maine$11,7417University of Maine at Presque Isle $8,297; University of Maine at Augusta $8,993; University of Maine at Fort Kent $9,749
Nevada$11,7683University of Nevada-Las Vegas $9,726; University of Nevada-Reno $11,768; Nevada State University $13,455
Texas$11,96234Texas A&M University-Central Texas $2,834; The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley $4,125; The University of Texas Permian Basin $5,217
Pennsylvania$12,11837Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre $3,601; Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington $5,000; Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York $5,391
Louisiana$12,34314University of New Orleans $7,719; Louisiana Tech University $9,908; McNeese State University $10,035
Kansas$12,4947Wichita State University $7,696; Washburn University $10,150; Pittsburg State University $12,433
New Mexico$12,5377Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus $4,082; New Mexico State University-Main Campus $5,037; Western New Mexico University $6,734
Colorado$12,72212Adams State University $6,333; Colorado State University Pueblo $6,935; University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus $7,927
Idaho$12,7234Idaho State University $7,580; Lewis-Clark State College $12,411; University of Idaho $13,034
Iowa$13,0583University of Northern Iowa $11,933; Iowa State University $13,058; University of Iowa $16,286
Utah$13,3213Southern Utah University $9,155; Utah State University $13,321; University of Utah $26,136
Maryland$13,39612University of Maryland-College Park $2,972; University of Baltimore $5,789; St. Mary's College of Maryland $8,340
Connecticut$13,53010University of Connecticut-Avery Point $2,161; University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus $4,448; University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus $8,336
Missouri$13,93413Truman State University $8,617; Missouri Southern State University $10,429; Missouri University of Science and Technology $11,410
Arizona$14,0065Arizona State University Campus Immersion $10,433; Arizona State University Digital Immersion $12,292; Northern Arizona University $14,006
Mississippi$14,4178Mississippi University for Women $10,912; University of Mississippi $11,055; Mississippi Valley State University $12,731
New Hampshire$14,5345University of New Hampshire at Manchester $10,825; University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies Online $12,256; Keene State College $14,534
South Carolina$14,71612Francis Marion University $10,469; Coastal Carolina University $12,082; University of South Carolina Aiken $13,148
Arkansas$14,7348University of Arkansas Grantham $10,538; University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff $11,689; University of Arkansas $13,419
Oregon$14,8458Portland State University $6,461; Western Oregon University $10,981; Oregon Institute of Technology $12,516
Alabama$17,19913Alabama State University $10,543; University of West Alabama $12,018; Auburn University at Montgomery $13,159
South Dakota$17,2266Northern State University $13,872; South Dakota State University $15,661; Black Hills State University $17,050
Montana$17,5076Montana State University-Northern $13,216; Montana State University Billings $13,694; Montana Technological University $15,804

Net price is the average a school's full-time, first-time students paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students at publics. It counts only students who got federal aid.

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