The Cheapest Colleges in America by Out of State Tuition for 2023
If you're looking for an affordable university these are the least expensive out of state colleges to consider. Additionally, if you are a foreign citizen and cannot qualify for in-state tuition, these are the cheapest universities in America for international students.
Affordable doesn't simply mean finding a school with a low published out of 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 out of 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 out of state tuition list price for the 2021/2022 school year.
What is the cheapest college in America? Leading the colleges list is Dine College in Tsaile with an out of state tuition of $1,320.
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 | Out of State Tuition | Rating | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
#21 Apex School of TheologyNorth Carolina, Private |
$4,800 | NA | NA |
#22 Bon Secours Memorial College of NursingVirginia, Private |
$4,871 | NA | NA |
#23 Southern University and A & M CollegeLouisiana, Public |
$4,973 | 16 | NA |
#24 Midland CollegeTexas, Public |
$4,980 | NA | NA |
#25 Louisiana State University AlexandriaLouisiana, Public |
$4,984 | 35 | 36 |
#26 Elizabeth City State UniversityNorth Carolina, Public |
$5,000 | 26 | 78 |
#27 University of North Carolina at PembrokeNorth Carolina, Public |
$5,000 | 26 | 9 |
#28 Western Carolina UniversityNorth Carolina, Public |
$5,000 | 44 | 29 |
#29 Grambling State UniversityLouisiana, Public |
$5,140 | 11 | NA |
#30 W L Bonner CollegeSouth Carolina, Private |
$5,158 | NA | NA |
#31 Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and SeminaryMaryland, Private |
$5,280 | NA | NA |
#32 Georgia Christian UniversityGeorgia, Private |
$5,520 | NA | NA |
#33 Peru State CollegeNebraska, Public |
$5,520 | NA | NA |
#34 Columbia Southern UniversityAlabama, Private |
$5,640 | NA | NA |
#35 Louisiana State University ShreveportLouisiana, Public |
$5,656 | 31 | 57 |
#36 Wayne State CollegeNebraska, Public |
$5,700 | NA | NA |
#37 Chadron State CollegeNebraska, Public |
$5,750 | NA | NA |
#38 Potomac College WashingtonDistrict Of Columbia, Private |
$5,760 | NA | NA |
#39 Potomac College HerndonVirginia, Private |
$5,760 | NA | NA |
#40 Carolina Bible CollegeNorth Carolina, Private |
$5,784 | NA | NA |