The Cheapest Colleges in America by In State Tuition for 2023
If you're looking for an affordable university these are the least expensive in state colleges to consider.
Affordable doesn't simply mean finding a school with a low published in state tuition. It's important to research the typical financial aid package offered by a school, the average net price actually paid and most importantly the quality of education you receive for your tuition dollar. Sometimes a school which appears cheap based on list price can be a poor relative value if it can't award competitive financial aid or doesn't offer a quality education. The list below is a ranking on published in state tuition with no consideration of actual average price paid or academic quality of the school. Please see the CollegeCalc best value colleges in America list for a ranking which considers school quality and average net price.
The most affordable four year colleges in America are listed by one year's in state tuition list price for the 2021/2022 school year.
What is the cheapest college in America? Leading the colleges list is Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater with an in state tuition of $910.
Academic Rating is a CollegeCalc rating of a college's overall academics and effectiveness. The score ranges from zero to one hundred, with fifty being the median for all eligible colleges. Dollar value is a measure of a school's academic rating compared with the average price paid by students. Colleges which are ranked "n/a" didn't report sufficient data to formulate a score. Learn more about our rating methodology.
All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's 2021/2022 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2021/2022 academic year.
| College | In State Tuition | Rating | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
#1 Bridgewater State UniversityMassachusetts, Public |
$910 | 47 | 15 |
#2 Salem State UniversityMassachusetts, Public |
$910 | NA | NA |
#3 Fitchburg State UniversityMassachusetts, Public |
$970 | 47 | 23 |
#4 Framingham State UniversityMassachusetts, Public |
$970 | 60 | 37 |
#5 Westfield State UniversityMassachusetts, Public |
$970 | 45 | 15 |
#6 Worcester State UniversityMassachusetts, Public |
$970 | 48 | 15 |
#7 Elizabeth City State UniversityNorth Carolina, Public |
$1,000 | 26 | 78 |
#8 University of North Carolina at PembrokeNorth Carolina, Public |
$1,000 | 26 | 9 |
#9 Western Carolina UniversityNorth Carolina, Public |
$1,000 | 44 | 29 |
#10 Massachusetts College of Art and DesignMassachusetts, Public |
$1,030 | NA | NA |
#11 Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsMassachusetts, Public |
$1,030 | 49 | 42 |
#12 Dine CollegeArizona, Public |
$1,320 | NA | NA |
#13 Gulf Coast State CollegeFlorida, Public |
$1,750 | NA | NA |
#14 Turtle Mountain Community CollegeNorth Dakota, Private |
$1,776 | NA | NA |
#15 The University of Texas at BrownsvilleTexas, Public |
$1,800 | NA | NA |
#16 Santa Fe CollegeFlorida, Public |
$1,872 | NA | NA |
#17 Pensacola State CollegeFlorida, Public |
$1,890 | NA | NA |
#18 St Petersburg CollegeFlorida, Public |
$1,943 | NA | NA |
#19 Massachusetts Maritime AcademyMassachusetts, Public |
$1,946 | 60 | 79 |
#20 Broward CollegeFlorida, Public |
$1,968 | NA | NA |