2022/23 Academic Year
College applicants and their families face not just a big life choice and the challenge of being accepted to schools, they face a complicated maze of information on how much their college career will cost. This report will allow you to know the true costs of colleges, so that you can finance a college degree and set up a successful post-graduate life.
- Apply to colleges which you know you can afford
- Plan financially and save and borrow the right amount to fund costs across all years of the program
- Once accepted, better understand the financial context of your financial aid offer and the scope for any negotiations with the college on their proposed cost
This report also provides some of the basics on how the prices you will pay for colleges are set as well as objective cost data about popular schools for students residing in your state. These numbers are based on reported figures by the colleges themselves with projections to account for future price changes.
The information will not indicate exactly how much each student will pay your college. But it will give a broadly accurate and readily understandable general idea, allowing you to compare colleges in financial terms and to plan for a successful college journey.
How college costs work
- Advertised college tuition prices are often far higher than what the typical student pays. Many colleges offer significant discounts to this headline tuition depending on an applicant’s
- family financial income & assets
- demographics
- academic record
- and decisions made by the college’s admissions or enrollment offices
- Comparing college costs on an apples-to-apples basis is difficult and time consuming. College net price calculators are often outdated and don’t reflect true costs.
- When an applicant is accepted to a college, they will receive a financial aid award letter highlighting what their costs will be if they enroll. These awards all differ by student.
- Cost information provided by colleges and other sources often deduct loans from the cost, unlike most other consumer purchases you make
- Most state colleges and universities have essentially two pricing processes, one for in-state and one for out-of-state students.
- Applying early increases your chances of getting into a given college but also increases your cost by lowering, often significantly, the amount of financial aid you will be offered.
Contents
- Average costs for popular in- and out-of-state schools
- Community Colleges
- College pricing and the Expected Family Contribution
- Ways to reduce college costs
- Scenarios showing projected costs by college for 7 representative families with different incomes and financial profiles
- Scenario: Students with families with an average of $15,000 in annual income (<$10,000 in financial assets and home equity of <$40,000)
- Scenario: Students with families with an average of $40,000 in annual income ($10,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $50,000)
- Scenario: Students with families with an average of $60,000 in annual income ($20,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $90,000)
- Scenario: Students with families with an average of $90,000 in annual income ($200,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $120,000)
- Scenario: Students with families with an average of $150,000 in annual income ($250,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $150,000)
- Scenario: Students with families with an average of $200,000 in annual income ($500,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $200,000)
- Scenario: Students with families with an average of $300,000 in annual income ($950,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $350,000)
- Online or Distance Schools
- Glossary
In-state colleges, by average cost
The average net cost found here represents a projected average amount entering freshmen will pay for tuition, room & board, fees, books & other course materials. Net costs are not reduced by loans, which represent an obligation and are not a price reduction. The analogy here is buying a house or condo, where the cost is not reduced because you take out a mortgage to finance the purchase.
College | City | Full-time students | Admissions % | SAT ACT blended 25th percentile | % students paying discounted tuition | Average annual net cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austin Peay State | Clarksville | 6,773 | 95 | 960 | 24 | 17,000 |
Belmont | Nashville | 6,563 | 84 | 1,140 | 88 | 38,000 |
Bethel | McKenzie | 2,300 | 90 | 870 | 87 | 16,000 |
Carson-Newman | Jefferson City | 1,716 | 69 | 950 | 98 | 20,500 |
Chattanooga State CC | Chattanooga | 3,821 | 100 | 14 | 7,000 | |
Christian Brothers | Memphis | 1,384 | 50 | 1,090 | 99 | 22,000 |
Cleveland State CC | Cleveland | 1,793 | 100 | 16 | 6,500 | |
Columbia State CC | Columbia | 3,249 | 100 | 3 | 9,000 | |
Cumberland | Lebanon | 1,827 | 61 | 980 | 31 | 28,000 |
Lipscomb | Nashville | 2,679 | 63 | 1,110 | 97 | 30,000 |
Dyersburg State CC | Dyersburg | 1,278 | 100 | 33 | 9,000 | |
East Tennessee State | Johnson City | 9,228 | 86 | 1,020 | 38 | 15,500 |
Freed-Hardeman | Henderson | 1,306 | 88 | 1,060 | 99 | 17,000 |
Jackson State CC | Jackson | 2,432 | 100 | 6 | 10,500 | |
King | Bristol | 1,483 | 62 | 1,000 | 84 | 21,500 |
South College | Knoxville | 2,006 | 100 | 56 | 20,000 | |
Lane | Jackson | 1,239 | 100 | 26 | 13,500 | |
Lee | Cleveland | 3,677 | 82 | 1,000 | 82 | 18,000 |
Lincoln Memorial | Harrogate | 1,427 | 50 | 1,010 | 74 | 18,500 |
Maryville | Maryville | 1,071 | 56 | 1,030 | 100 | 23,000 |
Memphis | Memphis | 12,066 | 85 | 1,030 | 79 | 16,500 |
Middle Tennessee State | Murfreesboro | 15,721 | 94 | 1,030 | 33 | 17,000 |
Motlow State CC | Tullahoma | 3,439 | 100 | 8 | 7,000 | |
Nashville State CC | Nashville | 3,397 | 100 | 1 | 13,500 | |
Rhodes | Memphis | 1,945 | 45 | 1,240 | 93 | 32,000 |
Roane State CC | Harriman | 2,427 | 100 | 11 | 5,500 | |
Southwest Tennessee CC | Memphis | 4,526 | 100 | 9 | 9,500 | |
The University of the South | Sewanee | 1,671 | 67 | 1,170 | 98 | 34,500 |
Pellissippi State CC | Knoxville | 5,038 | 100 | 3 | 6,500 | |
Southern Adventist | Collegedale | 2,085 | 100 | 98 | 23,000 | |
Tennessee-Chattanooga | Chattanooga | 9,224 | 82 | 1,040 | 57 | 16,000 |
Tennessee | Knoxville | 22,018 | 79 | 1,170 | 54 | 23,500 |
Tennessee-Martin | Martin | 4,754 | 64 | 1,040 | 80 | 13,500 |
Tennessee State | Nashville | 4,807 | 100 | 40 | 12,000 | |
Tennessee Tech | Cookeville | 8,004 | 79 | 1,030 | 48 | 21,500 |
Trevecca Nazarene | Nashville | 1,913 | 62 | 1,040 | 100 | 19,500 |
Northeast State CC | Blountville | 3,251 | 100 | 9 | 8,500 | |
Tusculum | Greeneville | 1,263 | 72 | 960 | 98 | 19,500 |
Union | Jackson | 1,796 | 53 | 1,080 | 100 | 31,500 |
Vanderbilt | Nashville | 6,833 | 9 | 1,430 | 62 | 42,500 |
Volunteer State CC | Gallatin | 4,779 | 100 | 5 | 14,000 | |
Walters State CC | Morristown | 3,243 | 100 | 16 | 3,000 |
Notes on figures
- Net cost is a consumer-centric metric comparable to what cost means in business transactions outside of higher education. It represents a student’s cost of attending college including: tuition, room & board, fees and estimates of supplies less institutional aid of all kinds (including need-based and merit), and less federal and state/local aid. Loans and other repayable amounts are excluded and do not reduce the cost. Room and board uses on-campus costs; for students attending nonresidential institutions, the college’s own estimate of such off-campus costs is used. Total average net cost for all students allocates in- and out-of-state costs in proportion to attendance. Net cost differs from the Net Price figure self-reported by colleges to the NCES because it is comprehensive and covers all students, including the approximately 40% not covered by Net Price calculations.
- CC = Community College
- Number of undergraduates represent all enrolled full-time students as of 2018/19.
- % of Applicants admitted from 2019/20.
- The SAT score is intended to give a very rough idea of the academic level of entering students. This number shows the 25thpercentile of enrolled students out of 100% and adds together the verbal and math SAT and ACT scores using the ACT/SAT concordance formula developed by ACT and the College Board. The maximum possible score is 1600.
- The “% of students receiving discounts” is the 2018/19 figure showing what % of enrolled students are receiving price discounts from their colleges. This % does not include aid from the government, such as Pell grants, or other federal or state aid. It also does not include students borrowing to pay for college.
- These comments all apply to tables later in this report except where noted.
Popular out-of-state colleges, by average cost
College | City | State | Full-time students | Admissions % | SAT ACT blended 25th percentile | % students paying discounted tuition | Avg. annual net cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama A & M | Normal | AL | 4,975 | 92 | 850 | 64 | 22,500 |
UAB | Birmingham | AL | 10,315 | 74 | 1,090 | 78 | 14,500 |
UA Huntsville | Huntsville | AL | 6,749 | 83 | 1,200 | 83 | 21,000 |
Alabama | Tuscaloosa | AL | 29,135 | 83 | 1,110 | 56 | 33,000 |
Auburn | Auburn University | AL | 22,527 | 81 | 1,180 | 61 | 43,500 |
Birmingham Southern | Birmingham | AL | 1,201 | 54 | 1,090 | 96 | 26,500 |
Jacksonville State | Jacksonville | AL | 5,942 | 55 | 940 | 60 | 9,000 |
North Alabama | Florence | AL | 4,901 | 89 | 1,010 | 76 | 29,000 |
South Alabama | Mobile | AL | 8,065 | 79 | 1,040 | 70 | 16,000 |
Troy | Troy | AL | 8,741 | 88 | 980 | 45 | 20,500 |
Arkansas | Fayetteville | AR | 20,559 | 77 | 1,140 | 39 | 42,500 |
Arkansas State | State University | AR | 6,439 | 80 | 1,040 | 78 | 11,000 |
Arkansas Tech | Russellville | AR | 6,584 | 95 | 77 | 22,000 | |
Central Arkansas | Conway | AR | 7,634 | 90 | 1,040 | 58 | 5,000 |
Howard | Washington | DC | 6,269 | 36 | 1,120 | 98 | 24,500 |
Emory | Atlanta | GA | 7,012 | 16 | 810 | 55 | 42,500 |
Georgia Tech | Atlanta | GA | 14,310 | 21 | 1,310 | 26 | 46,500 |
Georgia College & State | Milledgeville | GA | 5,364 | 80 | 1,120 | 11 | 49,500 |
Georgia Southern | Statesboro | GA | 19,172 | 54 | 1,040 | 16 | 21,500 |
Georgia State | Atlanta | GA | 21,958 | 76 | 1,050 | 22 | 40,000 |
Georgia | Athens | GA | 28,175 | 45 | 1,240 | 32 | 46,500 |
Savannah Coll of Art | Savannah | GA | 10,260 | 96 | 1,050 | 97 | 46,000 |
Valdosta State | Valdosta | GA | 6,797 | 57 | 990 | 25 | 20,000 |
West Georgia | Carrollton | GA | 8,090 | 59 | 940 | 16 | 26,500 |
DePaul | Chicago | IL | 12,784 | 68 | 98 | 34,500 | |
Illinois-Chicago Circle | Chicago | IL | 20,195 | 73 | 1,040 | 62 | 40,500 |
Illinois-Urbana | Champaign | IL | 32,854 | 59 | 1,210 | 48 | 33,500 |
Illinois State | Normal | IL | 17,092 | 82 | 1,020 | 67 | 29,000 |
Loyola Chicago | Chicago | IL | 11,622 | 67 | 1,150 | 98 | 41,000 |
Northern Illinois | Dekalb | IL | 10,567 | 48 | 950 | 92 | 22,500 |
Ball State | Muncie | IN | 14,693 | 77 | 60 | 25,500 | |
Ivy Tech CC | Indianapolis | IN | 21,242 | 100 | 15 | 14,500 | |
IUPU-Indianapolis | Indianapolis | IN | 17,630 | 81 | 990 | 65 | 28,000 |
IU-Bloomington | Bloomington | IN | 31,981 | 78 | 1,160 | 71 | 41,000 |
Eastern Kentucky | Richmond | KY | 9,908 | 94 | 1,030 | 65 | 19,500 |
Kentucky | Lexington | KY | 20,622 | 96 | 1,110 | 77 | 36,000 |
Louisville | Louisville | KY | 11,560 | 69 | 1,100 | 80 | 28,000 |
Morehead State | Morehead | KY | 5,393 | 78 | 1,030 | 74 | 17,000 |
Murray State | Murray | KY | 6,190 | 82 | 1,060 | 89 | 31,000 |
Northern Kentucky | Highland Heights | KY | 8,243 | 90 | 1,030 | 83 | 26,500 |
Western Kentucky | Bowling Green | KY | 11,815 | 97 | 1,030 | 69 | 32,000 |
LSU | Baton Rouge | LA | 22,726 | 75 | 1,130 | 75 | 35,500 |
Louisiana Lafayette | Lafayette | LA | 11,929 | 68 | 1,040 | 57 | 33,000 |
UMD College Park | College Park | MD | 28,390 | 44 | 1,280 | 40 | 49,000 |
Towson | Towson | MD | 17,209 | 76 | 1,050 | 49 | 37,000 |
Hinds CC | Raymond | MS | 6,953 | 100 | 29 | 10,500 | |
Mississippi | University | MS | 15,902 | 88 | 1,070 | 63 | 34,500 |
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC | Perkinston | MS | 5,676 | 100 | 48 | 10,500 | |
Mississippi State | Mississippi State | MS | 17,113 | 54 | 1,100 | 86 | 24,500 |
Rust | Holly Springs | MS | 679 | 50 | 55 | 11,000 | |
Southern Miss | Hattiesburg | MS | 9,654 | 97 | 980 | 61 | 20,500 |
Central Missouri | Warrensburg | MO | 6,688 | 65 | 980 | 62 | 20,500 |
Ozarks Tech CC | Springfield | MO | 5,430 | 100 | 10 | 10,000 | |
Lindenwood | Saint Charles | MO | 5,000 | 88 | 990 | 99 | 18,000 |
Metropolitan CC-Kansas City | Lees Summit | MO | 6,522 | 100 | 9 | 13,500 | |
Missouri | Columbia | MO | 20,676 | 81 | 1,140 | 77 | 27,500 |
Missouri-Kansas City | Kansas City | MO | 6,487 | 61 | 1,030 | 73 | 34,000 |
Missouri Tech | Rolla | MO | 5,692 | 79 | 1,210 | 81 | 16,500 |
Missouri-St Louis | St. Louis | MO | 5,098 | 73 | 1,060 | 92 | 17,000 |
St Louis Univ | St. Louis | MO | 6,691 | 58 | 1,180 | 97 | 31,500 |
St Louis CC | St. Louis | MO | 6,114 | 100 | 7 | 11,000 | |
SE Missouri State | Cape Girardeau | MO | 7,152 | 86 | 83 | 16,000 | |
Missouri State-Springfield | Springfield | MO | 14,005 | 88 | 1,040 | 63 | 24,000 |
Washington U St Louis | St. Louis | MO | 7,139 | 14 | 1,430 | 41 | 54,000 |
Appalachian State | Boone | NC | 16,622 | 77 | 1,090 | 36 | 25,500 |
Central Piedmont CC | Charlotte | NC | 6,790 | 100 | 6 | 18,000 | |
Duke | Durham | NC | 6,597 | 8 | 1,450 | 47 | 51,500 |
East Carolina | Greenville | NC | 19,204 | 79 | 1,020 | 45 | 29,500 |
Elon | Elon | NC | 6,079 | 78 | 1,170 | 61 | 43,000 |
North Carolina A & T | Greensboro | NC | 10,013 | 58 | 950 | 67 | 27,000 |
UNC Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | NC | 18,528 | 23 | 1,280 | 41 | 30,000 |
UNC Charlotte | Charlotte | NC | 20,877 | 65 | 1,110 | 41 | 23,500 |
UNC Greensboro | Greensboro | NC | 14,007 | 82 | 1,010 | 53 | 32,500 |
North Carolina Central | Durham | NC | 5,012 | 68 | 890 | 75 | 24,000 |
North Carolina State | Raleigh | NC | 22,820 | 45 | 1,240 | 48 | 25,500 |
UNC Wilmington | Wilmington | NC | 12,480 | 65 | 1,120 | 41 | 37,000 |
Wake Forest | Winston Salem | NC | 5,240 | 30 | 36 | 59,500 | |
Wake Tech CC | Raleigh | NC | 7,362 | 100 | 2 | 18,500 | |
Western Carolina | Cullowhee | NC | 8,934 | 69 | 1,010 | 63 | 21,000 |
Akron | Akron | OH | 11,641 | 73 | 980 | 76 | 22,000 |
Bowling Green State | Bowling Green | OH | 12,936 | 72 | 980 | 68 | 20,500 |
Cincinnati | Cincinnati | OH | 23,712 | 77 | 1,140 | 56 | 33,500 |
Kent State | Kent | OH | 18,432 | 86 | 1,030 | 87 | 22,000 |
Miami U-Oxford | Oxford | OH | 16,682 | 80 | 1,200 | 70 | 38,000 |
Ohio State | Columbus | OH | 42,776 | 54 | 1,250 | 70 | 35,000 |
Ohio U | Athens | OH | 16,209 | 82 | 1,030 | 81 | 22,500 |
Toledo | Toledo | OH | 12,548 | 96 | 1,000 | 88 | 23,000 |
Baylor | Waco | TX | 13,906 | 45 | 1,220 | 93 | 42,500 |
William and Mary | Williamsburg | VA | 6,190 | 38 | 1,320 | 42 | 54,000 |
George Mason | Fairfax | VA | 21,672 | 87 | 1,110 | 37 | 46,000 |
James Madison | Harrisonburg | VA | 18,798 | 77 | 900 | 19 | 43,000 |
Liberty | Lynchburg | VA | 28,487 | 51 | 1,040 | 81 | 29,000 |
Northern Virginia CC | Annandale | VA | 15,540 | 100 | 25 | 20,500 | |
Old Dominion | Norfolk | VA | 14,702 | 89 | 970 | 76 | 42,000 |
Radford | Radford | VA | 6,820 | 75 | 42 | 26,000 | |
Tidewater CC | Norfolk | VA | 6,693 | 100 | 7 | 22,500 | |
Virginia Tech | Blacksburg | VA | 28,584 | 70 | 1,180 | 36 | 40,500 |
Virginia Commonwealth | Richmond | VA | 19,825 | 87 | 1,070 | 60 | 34,000 |
UVa | Charlottesville | VA | 16,267 | 24 | 1,330 | 35 | 52,000 |
West Virginia | Morgantown | WV | 19,369 | 84 | 1,030 | 76 | 34,000 |
Purdue | West Lafayette | IN | 32,606 | 60 | 1,200 | 43 | 39,500 |
Georgia State-Perimeter | Decatur | GA | 7,784 | 69 | 4 | 17,000 | |
ECPI | Virginia Beach | VA | 13,005 | 74 | 36 | 22,000 | |
Georgia Gwinnett | Lawrenceville | GA | 8,556 | 94 | 900 | 3 | 32,500 |
Columbia Southern | Orange Beach | AL | 7,502 | 100 | 82 | 10,500 |
Community Colleges
Community colleges are presented differently from 4-year colleges because of how they manage the prices they charge, such as offering discounted tuition to in-county residents, sometimes providing on-campus housing and sometimes not, and educating a larger proportion of part-time and distance (online) students. The “In-state Tuition, Fees and Supplies” number presented above, dating from 2018/19, is intended to remove these factors and make the prices easier to compare.
College | City | Full-time students | Part-time students | In-state tuition | Average annual net cost | BA degree offered | Residential dorms available | Room & board cost (in-state) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chattanooga State CC | Chattanooga | 3,821 | 4,229 | 4,063 | 7,000 | - | ||
Cleveland State CC | Cleveland | 1,793 | 1,577 | 4,338 | 6,500 | - | ||
Columbia State CC | Columbia | 3,249 | 3,056 | 4,582 | 9,000 | - | ||
Dyersburg State CC | Dyersburg | 1,278 | 1,562 | 4,338 | 9,000 | - | ||
Jackson State CC | Jackson | 2,432 | 2,467 | 4,324 | 10,500 | - | ||
Motlow State CC | Tullahoma | 3,439 | 3,553 | 4,344 | 7,000 | - | ||
Nashville State CC | Nashville | 3,397 | 4,488 | 4,294 | 13,500 | - | ||
Roane State CC | Harriman | 2,427 | 3,434 | 4,652 | 5,500 | - | ||
Southwest Tennessee CC | Memphis | 4,526 | 4,907 | 4,352 | 9,500 | - | ||
Pellissippi State CC | Knoxville | 5,038 | 5,656 | 4,378 | 6,500 | - | ||
Northeast State CC | Blountville | 3,251 | 2,834 | 4,350 | 8,500 | - | ||
Volunteer State CC | Gallatin | 4,779 | 4,365 | 4,332 | 14,000 | - | ||
Walters State CC | Morristown | 3,243 | 3,036 | 4,327 | 3,000 | - |
Notes on figures
- Number of undergraduates represent all enrolled full-time and part-time students as of 2018/19.
- “In-state Tuition, Fees and Supplies” is a figure provided by the colleges covering full-time tuition, supplies and fees but NOT room & board. This is a cleaner way to compare community college pricing for several reasons. The proportion of tuition paid by Pell Grants depends on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and is determined by the federal government, not any decision by the college. Some but not all community colleges offer dormitories. Finally, the number of part-time students and the discounted tuition often granted to in-county students makes the comparison of net prices even more complex than for traditional 4-year colleges.
- The Average Net Cost figures used in this report extrapolate from data provided by the colleges themselves to the federal government and the public, projected to the current year. It represents full-time tuition and includes room & board, supplies, fees less aid and grants from the colleges and the government. It standardizes calculations across colleges and is comparable to the Net costs used for 4-year colleges. Individual student costs will vary based on circumstances, so this figure only provides guidance. This figure does have the benefit of showing you how much a typical community college student will spend.
- The cost of on-campus room & board dates from 2019/20 and is only presented for colleges providing residential housing. The schools’ estimates of off-campus housing costs are not included.
College pricing and the Expected Family Contribution
To receive any sort of aids and loans, US colleges require filing of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which calculates the Expected Family Contribution (the “EFC”). Discussions of college costs often make reference to the EFC, which is a federal statutory calculation that governs financing student college costs. It is NOT the same as the pricing, which is determined by supply and demand and the college’s own cost structure. To repeat, the cost of college is how much you will pay the college; the EFC determines your eligibility for loans or certain grants. Pricing; financing – two different things.
The charts below illustrate this distinction for a college with a “Cost of attendance” of $60,000. (The cost of attendance includes the full listed as-advertised tuition, room & board, estimated costs for materials and other fees.)
The College Board Big Future site offers a handy way to calculate this in advance of completing all the paperwork:
Note that the EFC will be renamed the Student Aid Index beginning in the 2023/24 academic year. The FAFSA filing after this change is expected to be much simpler and quicker to complete, but the fundamental formula is unchanged.
Federal Student Loans
Student loans are a complex topic outside of the scope of this report.
2021/2022 interest rates for the federal student loan program are:
- Direct (unsubsidized & subsidized): 3.73%.
- Direct PLUS is set at 6.28%.
- Private loan interest rate are set by the market, partly depend on the parents’ credit score and come in a variety of types.
Federal student loan interest rates are fixed and do not change after the initial borrowing. Because of the topic’s complexity, we recommend you go straight to the source and read the Department of Education site for more information:
A smaller group of mostly selective colleges also require submission of the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. The CSS Profile is a more detailed report on the financial profile of a student and their family. It is used in different ways by these colleges to assess how much students and their families should pay. One key difference between the FAFSA and CSS Profile schools is that the equity value of the home often (but not always) affects the level of financial aid offered.
The FAFSA and CSS Profile use prior year income for the initial FAFSA filing, so a 2021 senior’s FAFSA would depend on their 2019 earnings.
Decision and Early Action
Giving students discounts and breaks on full tuition is common business practice in higher education. Information about discounts granted to Early Decision and Early Action candidates is not compiled but a large amount of anecdotal evidence points to discounts for accepted students in Early Decision being much less generous than for the regular application period. So a student’s decision to apply Early Decision conveys to the college both their strong interest in attending and their willingness and ability to pay full costs. Applying through Early Action conveys strong interest but leaves latitude for negotiating financial aid. Because each student’s situation will be different, applicants are advised to think of the application process in part as a negotiation and to use the different application options as signals to the college.
Ways to save on college costs
There are a number of options beyond college choices to limit spending on college. The right choice depends on the student’s needs. They include:
- Studying for a year or two at a community college, institutions which are generally cheaper than 4-year programs, and then transferring into a Bachelor’s program.
- Completing credits at high school or via distance learning outside of actual college attendance
- Making sure to complete the bachelor’s program on time
- Applying for and obtaining scholarships
The first two will require acceptance of credits by the 4-year Bachelor’s program in which you ultimately enroll. While there are certain standards that apply in these scenarios, the ultimate decision will depend on the college accepting the student.
Fit
One important way to limit spending is to make sure the college you enroll in is a “fit.” When recruiting students, colleges are very focused on fit – on making sure that a college matches up well with a student’s personal and professional objectives. This is because fit helps both the student and the college. Lack of fit directly contributes to students dropping out or transferring to another school, both of which increase the costs of obtaining a degree. So proper matching of applications with schools is an important factor in college costs.
How to find scholarships and grants
The College Board’s Big Future and Sallie Mae’s Scholarship Search site are both excellent places to find information on scholarships:
Scholarships.com and Fastweb also both provide free searches of many scholarships:
Finally, two separate but similarly named sites, Collegescholarships.com and Collegescholarships.org, valuably provide lists of scholarships limited to residents of specific states, counties and municipalities.
Financial Scenarios
While the average costs above are an informative first cut, the impact of their family’s individual financial position on the amount a college charges a specific student is significant. The following section lays out a set of scenarios showing estimated costs for students with different family financial profiles. These are estimates and are intended as a baseline guide to help you decide on a short list of colleges to which to apply and to navigate the application and acceptance process with objective financial information.
Factors that increase or decrease the amount colleges charge a student:
- Family income
- Family financial assets
- Amount of equity in the family home (only selected colleges)
- Academic performance in high school, board scores
- Student’s demographic profile (including whether the parents have college degrees)
Other factors, such as whether other students in the household are also enrolled in college, marital status (married or not), and student income and savings play a generally smaller role.
Notes on figures
- For categories identical to those used to the in- and out-of-state average costs tables above, earlier comments apply.
- The colleges are ranked highest to lowest according to projected 2021/22 net cost.
- The “Full cost of a 4-year degree, Projected” represents an estimate of the total net costs for a class of ’25 student completing their Bachelor’s degree in 4 years.
- Scenarios 5, 6 and 7 assume a dual-earner married household with two children, the prospective college student who is a public high school senior and a younger sibling, with financial and home equity assets conforming to US government data on income and assets. The couple does not own their own business or investment real estate and is not the beneficiary of a trust. The prospective college student has no children, earned a small amount last year and is a dependent for IRS purposes. Once enrolled in college, the student would be enrolled full-time and live on campus.
- Disclaimer: These financial estimates represent informational projections that will change over time. They do not represents promises or commitments by CTAS or the colleges themselves. Final net cost numbers will differ from these estimates for many reasons.

Scenario
Students with families with an average of $15,000 in annual income. Families in this income range on average have <$10,000 in financial assets and home equity of <$40,000 (Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances).
College City State Full-time students Admissions % % students paying discounted tuition Avg. annual net cost Total cost of degree
Alabama A & M
Normal
AL
4,975
92
64
24,500
101,500
UAB
Birmingham
AL
10,315
74
78
12,000
49,500
UA Huntsville
Huntsville
AL
6,749
83
83
16,000
65,500
Alabama
Tuscaloosa
AL
29,135
83
56
30,500
125,500
Auburn
Auburn University
AL
22,527
81
61
33,000
135,000
Birmingham Southern
Birmingham
AL
1,201
54
96
20,500
84,500
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville
AL
5,942
55
60
8,500
35,500
North Alabama
Florence
AL
4,901
89
76
25,000
103,500
South Alabama
Mobile
AL
8,065
79
70
12,500
51,000
Troy
Troy
AL
8,741
88
45
21,000
85,000
Arkansas
Fayetteville
AR
20,559
77
39
30,000
123,000
Arkansas State
State University
AR
6,439
80
78
9,000
37,000
Arkansas Tech
Russellville
AR
6,584
95
77
19,500
80,000
Central Arkansas
Conway
AR
7,634
90
58
4,500
19,000
Howard
Washington
DC
6,269
36
98
10,500
43,500
Emory
Atlanta
GA
7,012
16
55
10,000
41,500
Georgia Tech
Atlanta
GA
14,310
21
26
23,500
96,500
Georgia College & State
Milledgeville
GA
5,364
80
11
38,500
158,000
Georgia Southern
Statesboro
GA
19,172
54
16
18,000
73,500
Georgia State
Atlanta
GA
21,958
76
22
34,500
141,500
Georgia
Athens
GA
28,175
45
32
35,000
144,000
Savannah Coll of Art
Savannah
GA
10,260
96
97
42,500
174,500
Valdosta State
Valdosta
GA
6,797
57
25
19,000
76,500
West Georgia
Carrollton
GA
8,090
59
16
23,000
93,500
DePaul
Chicago
IL
12,784
68
98
26,000
106,500
Illinois-Chicago Circle
Chicago
IL
20,195
73
62
30,000
123,500
Illinois-Urbana
Champaign
IL
32,854
59
48
24,000
97,000
Illinois State
Normal
IL
17,092
82
67
21,000
85,500
Loyola Chicago
Chicago
IL
11,622
67
98
31,500
129,500
Northern Illinois
Dekalb
IL
10,567
48
92
18,500
75,500
Ball State
Muncie
IN
14,693
77
60
18,000
72,000
Ivy Tech CC
Indianapolis
IN
21,242
100
15
12,500
25,500
IUPU-Indianapolis
Indianapolis
IN
17,630
81
65
22,000
89,000
IU-Bloomington
Bloomington
IN
31,981
78
71
28,000
114,500
Eastern Kentucky
Richmond
KY
9,908
94
65
16,500
68,000
Kentucky
Lexington
KY
20,622
96
77
25,000
103,500
Louisville
Louisville
KY
11,560
69
80
25,500
104,500
Morehead State
Morehead
KY
5,393
78
74
14,500
59,500
Murray State
Murray
KY
6,190
82
89
24,000
98,500
Northern Kentucky
Highland Heights
KY
8,243
90
83
12,000
49,000
Western Kentucky
Bowling Green
KY
11,815
97
69
30,500
125,000
LSU
Baton Rouge
LA
22,726
75
75
18,500
76,500
Louisiana Lafayette
Lafayette
LA
11,929
68
57
22,000
90,500
UMD College Park
College Park
MD
28,390
44
40
39,000
160,500
Towson
Towson
MD
17,209
76
49
25,000
102,000
Hinds CC
Raymond
MS
6,953
100
29
6,500
13,000
Mississippi
University
MS
15,902
88
63
22,500
93,500
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Perkinston
MS
5,676
100
48
11,500
23,500
Mississippi State
Mississippi State
MS
17,113
54
86
22,000
90,000
Rust
Holly Springs
MS
679
50
55
11,000
45,500
Southern Miss
Hattiesburg
MS
9,654
97
61
18,500
76,000
Central Missouri
Warrensburg
MO
6,688
65
62
16,500
68,000
Ozarks Tech CC
Springfield
MO
5,430
100
10
10,000
20,000
Lindenwood
Saint Charles
MO
5,000
88
99
14,500
59,000
Metropolitan CC-Kansas City
Lees Summit
MO
6,522
100
9
9,500
18,500
Missouri
Columbia
MO
20,676
81
77
18,500
75,500
Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
6,487
61
73
27,500
111,500
Missouri Tech
Rolla
MO
5,692
79
81
12,000
48,000
Missouri-St Louis
St. Louis
MO
5,098
73
92
11,500
46,000
St Louis Univ
St. Louis
MO
6,691
58
97
20,000
80,000
St Louis CC
St. Louis
MO
6,114
100
7
10,000
20,000
SE Missouri State
Cape Girardeau
MO
7,152
86
83
11,500
46,500
Missouri State-Springfield
Springfield
MO
14,005
88
63
19,500
79,500
Washington U St Louis
St. Louis
MO
7,139
14
41
6,000
23,500
Appalachian State
Boone
NC
16,622
77
36
14,000
57,000
Central Piedmont CC
Charlotte
NC
6,790
100
6
12,000
24,500
Duke
Durham
NC
6,597
8
47
500
2,500
East Carolina
Greenville
NC
19,204
79
45
22,000
89,500
Elon
Elon
NC
6,079
78
61
26,000
106,500
North Carolina A & T
Greensboro
NC
10,013
58
67
22,500
92,500
UNC Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
18,528
23
41
2,000
7,500
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte
NC
20,877
65
41
17,000
70,000
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro
NC
14,007
82
53
22,500
91,500
North Carolina Central
Durham
NC
5,012
68
75
24,000
97,500
North Carolina State
Raleigh
NC
22,820
45
48
13,000
53,000
UNC Wilmington
Wilmington
NC
12,480
65
41
25,000
101,500
Wake Forest
Winston Salem
NC
5,240
30
36
7,500
31,000
Wake Tech CC
Raleigh
NC
7,362
100
2
10,500
21,000
Western Carolina
Cullowhee
NC
8,934
69
63
16,000
65,000
Akron
Akron
OH
11,641
73
76
18,000
72,000
Bowling Green State
Bowling Green
OH
12,936
72
68
16,500
67,000
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
OH
23,712
77
56
25,000
101,500
Kent State
Kent
OH
18,432
86
87
17,000
70,500
Miami U-Oxford
Oxford
OH
16,682
80
70
21,500
87,500
Ohio State
Columbus
OH
42,776
54
70
24,000
98,500
Ohio U
Athens
OH
16,209
82
81
29,000
118,000
Toledo
Toledo
OH
12,548
96
88
18,000
74,000
Austin Peay State
Clarksville
TN
6,773
95
24
11,500
49,000
Belmont
Nashville
TN
6,563
84
88
27,500
113,500
Bethel
McKenzie
TN
2,300
90
87
14,000
56,500
Carson-Newman
Jefferson City
TN
1,716
69
98
13,500
57,000
Chattanooga State CC
Chattanooga
TN
3,821
100
14
6,000
12,500
Christian Brothers
Memphis
TN
1,384
50
99
10,000
42,000
Cleveland State CC
Cleveland
TN
1,793
100
16
4,500
9,000
Columbia State CC
Columbia
TN
3,249
100
3
6,000
12,000
Cumberland
Lebanon
TN
1,827
61
31
20,500
85,000
Lipscomb
Nashville
TN
2,679
63
97
22,500
94,000
Dyersburg State CC
Dyersburg
TN
1,278
100
33
6,000
12,500
East Tennessee State
Johnson City
TN
9,228
86
38
10,000
41,000
Freed-Hardeman
Henderson
TN
1,306
88
99
15,000
62,000
Jackson State CC
Jackson
TN
2,432
100
6
7,500
15,000
King
Bristol
TN
1,483
62
84
20,000
82,500
South College
Knoxville
TN
2,006
100
56
17,000
67,500
Lane
Jackson
TN
1,239
100
26
13,500
56,000
Lee
Cleveland
TN
3,677
82
82
15,500
64,500
Lincoln Memorial
Harrogate
TN
1,427
50
74
12,500
51,000
Maryville
Maryville
TN
1,071
56
100
17,000
70,500
Memphis
Memphis
TN
12,066
85
79
11,500
47,500
Middle Tennessee State
Murfreesboro
TN
15,721
94
33
10,000
41,000
Motlow State CC
Tullahoma
TN
3,439
100
8
7,000
14,000
Nashville State CC
Nashville
TN
3,397
100
1
7,500
15,500
Rhodes
Memphis
TN
1,945
45
93
17,500
72,000
Roane State CC
Harriman
TN
2,427
100
11
3,500
6,500
Southwest Tennessee CC
Memphis
TN
4,526
100
9
5,500
11,000
The University of the South
Sewanee
TN
1,671
67
98
16,000
66,500
Pellissippi State CC
Knoxville
TN
5,038
100
3
5,000
9,500
Southern Adventist
Collegedale
TN
2,085
100
98
22,000
90,500
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga
TN
9,224
82
57
9,000
37,500
Tennessee
Knoxville
TN
22,018
79
54
11,000
45,000
Tennessee-Martin
Martin
TN
4,754
64
80
8,000
34,000
Tennessee State
Nashville
TN
4,807
100
40
11,000
45,500
Tennessee Tech
Cookeville
TN
8,004
79
48
13,500
56,500
Trevecca Nazarene
Nashville
TN
1,913
62
100
15,000
59,500
Northeast State CC
Blountville
TN
3,251
100
9
6,000
12,000
Tusculum
Greeneville
TN
1,263
72
98
15,000
62,000
Union
Jackson
TN
1,796
53
100
26,500
110,000
Vanderbilt
Nashville
TN
6,833
9
62
4,000
17,500
Volunteer State CC
Gallatin
TN
4,779
100
5
6,500
13,500
Walters State CC
Morristown
TN
3,243
100
16
3,000
6,000
Baylor
Waco
TX
13,906
45
93
29,500
121,000
William and Mary
Williamsburg
VA
6,190
38
42
40,000
165,000
George Mason
Fairfax
VA
21,672
87
37
35,000
144,500
James Madison
Harrisonburg
VA
18,798
77
19
33,000
136,000
Liberty
Lynchburg
VA
28,487
51
81
27,000
110,500
Northern Virginia CC
Annandale
VA
15,540
100
25
16,000
32,500
Old Dominion
Norfolk
VA
14,702
89
76
30,500
126,500
Radford
Radford
VA
6,820
75
42
20,000
80,500
Tidewater CC
Norfolk
VA
6,693
100
7
13,000
26,500
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg
VA
28,584
70
36
34,000
138,500
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond
VA
19,825
87
60
24,500
100,500
UVa
Charlottesville
VA
16,267
24
35
10,500
43,500
West Virginia
Morgantown
WV
19,369
84
76
25,500
104,000
Purdue
West Lafayette
IN
32,606
60
43
15,500
62,500
Georgia State-Perimeter
Decatur
GA
7,784
69
4
13,500
27,000
ECPI
Virginia Beach
VA
13,005
74
36
21,500
89,500
Georgia Gwinnett
Lawrenceville
GA
8,556
94
3
22,000
91,500
Columbia Southern
Orange Beach
AL
7,502
100
82
10,500
43,000
2022-23 projected average net cost for selected colleges including both in- and out-of-state schools.
Scenario
Students with families with an average of $40,000 in annual income. Families in this income range on average have approximately $10,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $50,000 (Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances).
College City State Full-time students Admissions % % students paying discounted tuition Avg. annual net cost Total cost of degree}
Alabama A & M
Normal
AL
4,975
92
64
24,500
102,000
UAB
Birmingham
AL
10,315
74
78
12,500
52,000
UA Huntsville
Huntsville
AL
6,749
83
83
17,000
69,500
Alabama
Tuscaloosa
AL
29,135
83
56
32,500
133,000
Auburn
Auburn University
AL
22,527
81
61
36,000
147,000
Birmingham Southern
Birmingham
AL
1,201
54
96
20,500
84,500
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville
AL
5,942
55
60
9,500
39,500
North Alabama
Florence
AL
4,901
89
76
27,000
111,500
South Alabama
Mobile
AL
8,065
79
70
13,500
55,000
Troy
Troy
AL
8,741
88
45
23,000
94,000
Arkansas
Fayetteville
AR
20,559
77
39
33,000
136,000
Arkansas State
State University
AR
6,439
80
78
9,000
38,000
Arkansas Tech
Russellville
AR
6,584
95
77
19,500
80,000
Central Arkansas
Conway
AR
7,634
90
58
4,500
19,500
Howard
Washington
DC
6,269
36
98
27,000
110,500
Emory
Atlanta
GA
7,012
16
55
10,000
41,500
Georgia Tech
Atlanta
GA
14,310
21
26
30,500
125,500
Georgia College & State
Milledgeville
GA
5,364
80
11
41,500
172,000
Georgia Southern
Statesboro
GA
19,172
54
16
19,500
79,500
Georgia State
Atlanta
GA
21,958
76
22
36,000
147,000
Georgia
Athens
GA
28,175
45
32
43,000
178,000
Savannah Coll of Art
Savannah
GA
10,260
96
97
43,000
176,500
Valdosta State
Valdosta
GA
6,797
57
25
20,000
81,500
West Georgia
Carrollton
GA
8,090
59
16
24,500
100,000
DePaul
Chicago
IL
12,784
68
98
26,500
109,000
Illinois-Chicago Circle
Chicago
IL
20,195
73
62
31,000
128,000
Illinois-Urbana
Champaign
IL
32,854
59
48
28,500
116,000
Illinois State
Normal
IL
17,092
82
67
22,000
89,000
Loyola Chicago
Chicago
IL
11,622
67
98
31,500
130,000
Northern Illinois
Dekalb
IL
10,567
48
92
19,000
76,500
Ball State
Muncie
IN
14,693
77
60
21,500
86,500
Ivy Tech CC
Indianapolis
IN
21,242
100
15
14,000
29,000
IUPU-Indianapolis
Indianapolis
IN
17,630
81
65
25,000
100,500
IU-Bloomington
Bloomington
IN
31,981
78
71
31,000
126,000
Eastern Kentucky
Richmond
KY
9,908
94
65
16,500
68,000
Kentucky
Lexington
KY
20,622
96
77
27,000
111,000
Louisville
Louisville
KY
11,560
69
80
27,500
112,500
Morehead State
Morehead
KY
5,393
78
74
15,500
62,500
Murray State
Murray
KY
6,190
82
89
24,500
102,000
Northern Kentucky
Highland Heights
KY
8,243
90
83
15,500
63,500
Western Kentucky
Bowling Green
KY
11,815
97
69
36,000
148,500
LSU
Baton Rouge
LA
22,726
75
75
28,000
114,500
Louisiana Lafayette
Lafayette
LA
11,929
68
57
23,500
97,500
UMD College Park
College Park
MD
28,390
44
40
48,000
197,000
Towson
Towson
MD
17,209
76
49
30,500
125,000
Hinds CC
Raymond
MS
6,953
100
29
7,500
15,000
Mississippi
University
MS
15,902
88
63
27,000
112,000
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Perkinston
MS
5,676
100
48
12,500
25,500
Mississippi State
Mississippi State
MS
17,113
54
86
22,000
90,000
Rust
Holly Springs
MS
679
50
55
11,500
47,000
Southern Miss
Hattiesburg
MS
9,654
97
61
18,500
76,000
Central Missouri
Warrensburg
MO
6,688
65
62
18,000
73,000
Ozarks Tech CC
Springfield
MO
5,430
100
10
11,000
22,000
Lindenwood
Saint Charles
MO
5,000
88
99
14,500
59,000
Metropolitan CC-Kansas City
Lees Summit
MO
6,522
100
9
9,500
19,500
Missouri
Columbia
MO
20,676
81
77
19,500
80,000
Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
6,487
61
73
28,500
117,000
Missouri Tech
Rolla
MO
5,692
79
81
12,500
51,000
Missouri-St Louis
St. Louis
MO
5,098
73
92
12,000
49,000
St Louis Univ
St. Louis
MO
6,691
58
97
20,500
83,000
St Louis CC
St. Louis
MO
6,114
100
7
11,000
22,500
SE Missouri State
Cape Girardeau
MO
7,152
86
83
12,500
49,500
Missouri State-Springfield
Springfield
MO
14,005
88
63
20,500
83,500
Washington U St Louis
St. Louis
MO
7,139
14
41
6,500
26,500
Appalachian State
Boone
NC
16,622
77
36
18,500
74,000
Central Piedmont CC
Charlotte
NC
6,790
100
6
13,000
26,000
Duke
Durham
NC
6,597
8
47
4,000
16,500
East Carolina
Greenville
NC
19,204
79
45
24,000
97,500
Elon
Elon
NC
6,079
78
61
26,500
109,500
North Carolina A & T
Greensboro
NC
10,013
58
67
26,500
109,000
UNC Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
18,528
23
41
5,000
20,500
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte
NC
20,877
65
41
18,500
75,500
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro
NC
14,007
82
53
26,500
107,000
North Carolina Central
Durham
NC
5,012
68
75
26,000
105,500
North Carolina State
Raleigh
NC
22,820
45
48
15,500
63,500
UNC Wilmington
Wilmington
NC
12,480
65
41
28,000
115,000
Wake Forest
Winston Salem
NC
5,240
30
36
11,000
45,000
Wake Tech CC
Raleigh
NC
7,362
100
2
11,500
23,500
Western Carolina
Cullowhee
NC
8,934
69
63
18,500
76,500
Akron
Akron
OH
11,641
73
76
18,500
75,000
Bowling Green State
Bowling Green
OH
12,936
72
68
17,500
70,500
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
OH
23,712
77
56
28,000
112,500
Kent State
Kent
OH
18,432
86
87
19,000
78,000
Miami U-Oxford
Oxford
OH
16,682
80
70
25,500
105,000
Ohio State
Columbus
OH
42,776
54
70
26,000
107,500
Ohio U
Athens
OH
16,209
82
81
30,500
124,000
Toledo
Toledo
OH
12,548
96
88
19,000
78,000
Austin Peay State
Clarksville
TN
6,773
95
24
12,500
55,500
Belmont
Nashville
TN
6,563
84
88
29,000
125,000
Bethel
McKenzie
TN
2,300
90
87
14,500
56,500
Carson-Newman
Jefferson City
TN
1,716
69
98
13,000
57,000
Chattanooga State CC
Chattanooga
TN
3,821
100
14
7,000
13,500
Christian Brothers
Memphis
TN
1,384
50
99
11,500
50,500
Cleveland State CC
Cleveland
TN
1,793
100
16
4,500
10,000
Columbia State CC
Columbia
TN
3,249
100
3
6,500
13,000
Cumberland
Lebanon
TN
1,827
61
31
21,000
94,000
Lipscomb
Nashville
TN
2,679
63
97
22,500
100,000
Dyersburg State CC
Dyersburg
TN
1,278
100
33
6,500
14,000
East Tennessee State
Johnson City
TN
9,228
86
38
12,000
49,500
Freed-Hardeman
Henderson
TN
1,306
88
99
14,500
62,000
Jackson State CC
Jackson
TN
2,432
100
6
8,000
16,000
King
Bristol
TN
1,483
62
84
18,500
82,500
South College
Knoxville
TN
2,006
100
56
18,500
71,500
Lane
Jackson
TN
1,239
100
26
14,500
64,500
Lee
Cleveland
TN
3,677
82
82
16,000
70,000
Lincoln Memorial
Harrogate
TN
1,427
50
74
13,000
55,000
Maryville
Maryville
TN
1,071
56
100
16,500
74,000
Memphis
Memphis
TN
12,066
85
79
12,500
54,500
Middle Tennessee State
Murfreesboro
TN
15,721
94
33
11,000
49,000
Motlow State CC
Tullahoma
TN
3,439
100
8
7,500
16,000
Nashville State CC
Nashville
TN
3,397
100
1
7,500
16,000
Rhodes
Memphis
TN
1,945
45
93
18,500
80,000
Roane State CC
Harriman
TN
2,427
100
11
4,500
9,000
Southwest Tennessee CC
Memphis
TN
4,526
100
9
6,000
12,500
The University of the South
Sewanee
TN
1,671
67
98
16,000
67,500
Pellissippi State CC
Knoxville
TN
5,038
100
3
5,500
11,000
Southern Adventist
Collegedale
TN
2,085
100
98
22,000
96,000
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga
TN
9,224
82
57
11,000
48,500
Tennessee
Knoxville
TN
22,018
79
54
15,000
63,000
Tennessee-Martin
Martin
TN
4,754
64
80
10,500
45,000
Tennessee State
Nashville
TN
4,807
100
40
11,000
48,500
Tennessee Tech
Cookeville
TN
8,004
79
48
14,500
64,000
Trevecca Nazarene
Nashville
TN
1,913
62
100
15,500
62,500
Northeast State CC
Blountville
TN
3,251
100
9
6,500
13,000
Tusculum
Greeneville
TN
1,263
72
98
17,500
77,000
Union
Jackson
TN
1,796
53
100
25,500
114,000
Vanderbilt
Nashville
TN
6,833
9
62
5,000
23,000
Volunteer State CC
Gallatin
TN
4,779
100
5
7,000
14,500
Walters State CC
Morristown
TN
3,243
100
16
3,500
6,500
Baylor
Waco
TX
13,906
45
93
32,000
132,000
William and Mary
Williamsburg
VA
6,190
38
42
42,000
173,500
George Mason
Fairfax
VA
21,672
87
37
37,000
152,500
James Madison
Harrisonburg
VA
18,798
77
19
36,000
147,500
Liberty
Lynchburg
VA
28,487
51
81
27,000
110,500
Northern Virginia CC
Annandale
VA
15,540
100
25
17,000
34,000
Old Dominion
Norfolk
VA
14,702
89
76
34,500
144,000
Radford
Radford
VA
6,820
75
42
21,000
86,000
Tidewater CC
Norfolk
VA
6,693
100
7
14,500
29,500
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg
VA
28,584
70
36
37,500
153,500
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond
VA
19,825
87
60
28,000
114,000
UVa
Charlottesville
VA
16,267
24
35
16,000
66,500
West Virginia
Morgantown
WV
19,369
84
76
28,500
118,000
Purdue
West Lafayette
IN
32,606
60
43
16,000
64,500
Georgia State-Perimeter
Decatur
GA
7,784
69
4
14,500
30,000
ECPI
Virginia Beach
VA
13,005
74
36
22,500
92,500
Georgia Gwinnett
Lawrenceville
GA
8,556
94
3
23,500
96,500
Columbia Southern
Orange Beach
AL
7,502
100
82
10,500
43,500
2022-23 projected average net cost for selected colleges including both in- and out-of-state schools.
Scenario
Scenario: Students with families with an average of $60,000 in annual income. Families in this income range on average have approximately $20,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $90,000 (Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances).
College City State Full-time students Admissions % % students paying discounted tuition Avg. annual net cost Total cost of degree
Alabama A & M
Normal
AL
4,975
92
64
30,000
124,500
UAB
Birmingham
AL
10,315
74
78
14,500
60,000
UA Huntsville
Huntsville
AL
6,749
83
83
19,500
79,000
Alabama
Tuscaloosa
AL
29,135
83
56
36,000
148,500
Auburn
Auburn University
AL
22,527
81
61
40,500
167,000
Birmingham Southern
Birmingham
AL
1,201
54
96
23,000
94,000
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville
AL
5,942
55
60
11,000
45,500
North Alabama
Florence
AL
4,901
89
76
29,500
121,500
South Alabama
Mobile
AL
8,065
79
70
17,000
70,000
Troy
Troy
AL
8,741
88
45
23,000
94,000
Arkansas
Fayetteville
AR
20,559
77
39
38,500
160,000
Arkansas State
State University
AR
6,439
80
78
11,000
45,000
Arkansas Tech
Russellville
AR
6,584
95
77
19,500
80,000
Central Arkansas
Conway
AR
7,634
90
58
5,000
21,000
Howard
Washington
DC
6,269
36
98
27,500
111,500
Emory
Atlanta
GA
7,012
16
55
18,000
72,500
Georgia Tech
Atlanta
GA
14,310
21
26
40,000
165,000
Georgia College & State
Milledgeville
GA
5,364
80
11
50,500
207,500
Georgia Southern
Statesboro
GA
19,172
54
16
23,000
93,000
Georgia State
Atlanta
GA
21,958
76
22
42,500
175,500
Georgia
Athens
GA
28,175
45
32
47,500
196,000
Savannah Coll of Art
Savannah
GA
10,260
96
97
45,500
187,000
Valdosta State
Valdosta
GA
6,797
57
25
24,500
99,500
West Georgia
Carrollton
GA
8,090
59
16
28,000
113,500
DePaul
Chicago
IL
12,784
68
98
28,000
113,500
Illinois-Chicago Circle
Chicago
IL
20,195
73
62
36,500
150,500
Illinois-Urbana
Champaign
IL
32,854
59
48
37,000
149,500
Illinois State
Normal
IL
17,092
82
67
28,000
113,000
Loyola Chicago
Chicago
IL
11,622
67
98
34,500
142,000
Northern Illinois
Dekalb
IL
10,567
48
92
21,000
85,500
Ball State
Muncie
IN
14,693
77
60
28,000
113,500
Ivy Tech CC
Indianapolis
IN
21,242
100
15
18,000
36,500
IUPU-Indianapolis
Indianapolis
IN
17,630
81
65
35,500
144,500
IU-Bloomington
Bloomington
IN
31,981
78
71
44,500
181,500
Eastern Kentucky
Richmond
KY
9,908
94
65
19,500
81,000
Kentucky
Lexington
KY
20,622
96
77
32,500
135,000
Louisville
Louisville
KY
11,560
69
80
30,000
124,000
Morehead State
Morehead
KY
5,393
78
74
18,500
74,500
Murray State
Murray
KY
6,190
82
89
31,500
129,500
Northern Kentucky
Highland Heights
KY
8,243
90
83
23,000
93,000
Western Kentucky
Bowling Green
KY
11,815
97
69
36,000
148,500
LSU
Baton Rouge
LA
22,726
75
75
36,000
147,500
Louisiana Lafayette
Lafayette
LA
11,929
68
57
29,500
120,500
UMD College Park
College Park
MD
28,390
44
40
51,500
212,000
Towson
Towson
MD
17,209
76
49
40,000
163,000
Hinds CC
Raymond
MS
6,953
100
29
11,000
22,500
Mississippi
University
MS
15,902
88
63
38,500
158,500
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Perkinston
MS
5,676
100
48
12,500
25,500
Mississippi State
Mississippi State
MS
17,113
54
86
27,000
111,500
Rust
Holly Springs
MS
679
50
55
13,500
56,000
Southern Miss
Hattiesburg
MS
9,654
97
61
24,500
99,500
Central Missouri
Warrensburg
MO
6,688
65
62
21,000
86,000
Ozarks Tech CC
Springfield
MO
5,430
100
10
13,000
26,000
Lindenwood
Saint Charles
MO
5,000
88
99
16,500
66,000
Metropolitan CC-Kansas City
Lees Summit
MO
6,522
100
9
12,000
24,000
Missouri
Columbia
MO
20,676
81
77
22,000
89,500
Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
6,487
61
73
33,000
135,000
Missouri Tech
Rolla
MO
5,692
79
81
15,000
61,500
Missouri-St Louis
St. Louis
MO
5,098
73
92
14,000
56,000
St Louis Univ
St. Louis
MO
6,691
58
97
23,000
92,500
St Louis CC
St. Louis
MO
6,114
100
7
13,000
26,000
SE Missouri State
Cape Girardeau
MO
7,152
86
83
15,000
61,500
Missouri State-Springfield
Springfield
MO
14,005
88
63
24,500
100,500
Washington U St Louis
St. Louis
MO
7,139
14
41
12,500
51,500
Appalachian State
Boone
NC
16,622
77
36
25,000
100,500
Central Piedmont CC
Charlotte
NC
6,790
100
6
13,500
27,500
Duke
Durham
NC
6,597
8
47
4,000
17,500
East Carolina
Greenville
NC
19,204
79
45
30,500
123,500
Elon
Elon
NC
6,079
78
61
30,000
123,500
North Carolina A & T
Greensboro
NC
10,013
58
67
33,000
135,000
UNC Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
18,528
23
41
13,000
53,000
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte
NC
20,877
65
41
23,500
96,000
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro
NC
14,007
82
53
34,000
138,500
North Carolina Central
Durham
NC
5,012
68
75
32,500
133,000
North Carolina State
Raleigh
NC
22,820
45
48
22,000
89,500
UNC Wilmington
Wilmington
NC
12,480
65
41
36,500
149,500
Wake Forest
Winston Salem
NC
5,240
30
36
17,500
72,000
Wake Tech CC
Raleigh
NC
7,362
100
2
14,000
28,000
Western Carolina
Cullowhee
NC
8,934
69
63
21,000
85,500
Akron
Akron
OH
11,641
73
76
22,000
88,000
Bowling Green State
Bowling Green
OH
12,936
72
68
20,500
83,000
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
OH
23,712
77
56
31,500
128,500
Kent State
Kent
OH
18,432
86
87
23,000
95,000
Miami U-Oxford
Oxford
OH
16,682
80
70
33,000
135,500
Ohio State
Columbus
OH
42,776
54
70
33,000
137,000
Ohio U
Athens
OH
16,209
82
81
33,500
138,000
Toledo
Toledo
OH
12,548
96
88
22,000
88,500
Austin Peay State
Clarksville
TN
6,773
95
24
17,500
73,500
Belmont
Nashville
TN
6,563
84
88
34,000
141,000
Bethel
McKenzie
TN
2,300
90
87
18,000
73,000
Carson-Newman
Jefferson City
TN
1,716
69
98
13,500
57,000
Chattanooga State CC
Chattanooga
TN
3,821
100
14
9,000
17,500
Christian Brothers
Memphis
TN
1,384
50
99
12,500
52,000
Cleveland State CC
Cleveland
TN
1,793
100
16
7,000
14,000
Columbia State CC
Columbia
TN
3,249
100
3
8,500
17,500
Cumberland
Lebanon
TN
1,827
61
31
26,500
109,500
Lipscomb
Nashville
TN
2,679
63
97
27,000
113,500
Dyersburg State CC
Dyersburg
TN
1,278
100
33
8,000
16,000
East Tennessee State
Johnson City
TN
9,228
86
38
17,000
68,500
Freed-Hardeman
Henderson
TN
1,306
88
99
17,000
69,500
Jackson State CC
Jackson
TN
2,432
100
6
9,500
19,000
King
Bristol
TN
1,483
62
84
20,000
83,000
South College
Knoxville
TN
2,006
100
56
18,000
71,500
Lane
Jackson
TN
1,239
100
26
16,000
66,500
Lee
Cleveland
TN
3,677
82
82
19,500
81,000
Lincoln Memorial
Harrogate
TN
1,427
50
74
15,500
64,500
Maryville
Maryville
TN
1,071
56
100
22,500
93,000
Memphis
Memphis
TN
12,066
85
79
17,000
69,500
Middle Tennessee State
Murfreesboro
TN
15,721
94
33
16,500
69,000
Motlow State CC
Tullahoma
TN
3,439
100
8
10,000
20,500
Nashville State CC
Nashville
TN
3,397
100
1
10,000
20,000
Rhodes
Memphis
TN
1,945
45
93
24,000
100,000
Roane State CC
Harriman
TN
2,427
100
11
6,000
12,500
Southwest Tennessee CC
Memphis
TN
4,526
100
9
7,500
15,000
The University of the South
Sewanee
TN
1,671
67
98
22,500
92,500
Pellissippi State CC
Knoxville
TN
5,038
100
3
7,500
15,000
Southern Adventist
Collegedale
TN
2,085
100
98
25,500
106,500
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga
TN
9,224
82
57
16,000
66,000
Tennessee
Knoxville
TN
22,018
79
54
17,000
70,500
Tennessee-Martin
Martin
TN
4,754
64
80
15,000
61,500
Tennessee State
Nashville
TN
4,807
100
40
15,000
62,500
Tennessee Tech
Cookeville
TN
8,004
79
48
19,500
80,500
Trevecca Nazarene
Nashville
TN
1,913
62
100
18,000
73,000
Northeast State CC
Blountville
TN
3,251
100
9
8,500
16,500
Tusculum
Greeneville
TN
1,263
72
98
20,000
82,500
Union
Jackson
TN
1,796
53
100
27,500
114,000
Vanderbilt
Nashville
TN
6,833
9
62
10,000
40,500
Volunteer State CC
Gallatin
TN
4,779
100
5
9,500
19,000
Walters State CC
Morristown
TN
3,243
100
16
5,500
11,000
Baylor
Waco
TX
13,906
45
93
34,000
141,000
William and Mary
Williamsburg
VA
6,190
38
42
50,500
207,500
George Mason
Fairfax
VA
21,672
87
37
43,500
178,500
James Madison
Harrisonburg
VA
18,798
77
19
42,500
174,500
Liberty
Lynchburg
VA
28,487
51
81
29,000
120,000
Northern Virginia CC
Annandale
VA
15,540
100
25
20,500
41,500
Old Dominion
Norfolk
VA
14,702
89
76
42,000
174,000
Radford
Radford
VA
6,820
75
42
25,000
102,500
Tidewater CC
Norfolk
VA
6,693
100
7
18,000
37,000
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg
VA
28,584
70
36
39,500
161,500
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond
VA
19,825
87
60
32,500
132,000
UVa
Charlottesville
VA
16,267
24
35
21,500
87,500
West Virginia
Morgantown
WV
19,369
84
76
34,500
141,500
Purdue
West Lafayette
IN
32,606
60
43
24,000
97,500
Georgia State-Perimeter
Decatur
GA
7,784
69
4
17,000
35,000
ECPI
Virginia Beach
VA
13,005
74
36
24,500
100,000
Georgia Gwinnett
Lawrenceville
GA
8,556
94
3
28,000
115,500
Columbia Southern
Orange Beach
AL
7,502
100
82
11,500
48,000
2022-23 projected average net cost for selected colleges including both in- and out-of-state schools.
Scenario
Students with families with an average of $90,000 in annual income. Families in this income range on average have approximately $200,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $120,000 (Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances).
College City State Full-time students Admissions % % students paying discounted tuition Avg. annual net cost Total cost of degree
Alabama A & M
Normal
AL
4,975
92
64
32,000
132,000
UAB
Birmingham
AL
10,315
74
78
15,500
65,000
UA Huntsville
Huntsville
AL
6,749
83
83
21,000
84,500
Alabama
Tuscaloosa
AL
29,135
83
56
38,500
158,000
Auburn
Auburn University
AL
22,527
81
61
45,000
185,000
Birmingham Southern
Birmingham
AL
1,201
54
96
24,500
100,500
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville
AL
5,942
55
60
12,000
49,000
North Alabama
Florence
AL
4,901
89
76
29,500
121,500
South Alabama
Mobile
AL
8,065
79
70
21,000
84,500
Troy
Troy
AL
8,741
88
45
23,000
94,000
Arkansas
Fayetteville
AR
20,559
77
39
45,000
186,500
Arkansas State
State University
AR
6,439
80
78
12,500
51,000
Arkansas Tech
Russellville
AR
6,584
95
77
19,500
80,000
Central Arkansas
Conway
AR
7,634
90
58
5,500
24,000
Howard
Washington
DC
6,269
36
98
27,500
111,500
Emory
Atlanta
GA
7,012
16
55
25,000
102,000
Georgia Tech
Atlanta
GA
14,310
21
26
45,500
188,500
Georgia College & State
Milledgeville
GA
5,364
80
11
50,500
208,500
Georgia Southern
Statesboro
GA
19,172
54
16
25,000
102,000
Georgia State
Atlanta
GA
21,958
76
22
44,000
180,000
Georgia
Athens
GA
28,175
45
32
47,500
196,000
Savannah Coll of Art
Savannah
GA
10,260
96
97
47,500
194,500
Valdosta State
Valdosta
GA
6,797
57
25
26,500
107,500
West Georgia
Carrollton
GA
8,090
59
16
30,500
124,000
DePaul
Chicago
IL
12,784
68
98
31,500
128,500
Illinois-Chicago Circle
Chicago
IL
20,195
73
62
39,000
159,500
Illinois-Urbana
Champaign
IL
32,854
59
48
42,000
171,000
Illinois State
Normal
IL
17,092
82
67
35,000
142,000
Loyola Chicago
Chicago
IL
11,622
67
98
38,500
159,500
Northern Illinois
Dekalb
IL
10,567
48
92
24,500
99,000
Ball State
Muncie
IN
14,693
77
60
34,500
139,000
Ivy Tech CC
Indianapolis
IN
21,242
100
15
18,000
36,500
IUPU-Indianapolis
Indianapolis
IN
17,630
81
65
45,000
182,500
IU-Bloomington
Bloomington
IN
31,981
78
71
53,000
215,000
Eastern Kentucky
Richmond
KY
9,908
94
65
23,000
94,500
Kentucky
Lexington
KY
20,622
96
77
39,500
164,000
Louisville
Louisville
KY
11,560
69
80
30,000
124,000
Morehead State
Morehead
KY
5,393
78
74
20,500
82,000
Murray State
Murray
KY
6,190
82
89
35,000
145,000
Northern Kentucky
Highland Heights
KY
8,243
90
83
27,500
113,000
Western Kentucky
Bowling Green
KY
11,815
97
69
36,000
148,500
LSU
Baton Rouge
LA
22,726
75
75
42,000
172,000
Louisiana Lafayette
Lafayette
LA
11,929
68
57
33,500
137,000
UMD College Park
College Park
MD
28,390
44
40
51,500
212,000
Towson
Towson
MD
17,209
76
49
42,500
173,500
Hinds CC
Raymond
MS
6,953
100
29
14,000
28,500
Mississippi
University
MS
15,902
88
63
42,000
172,500
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Perkinston
MS
5,676
100
48
12,500
25,500
Mississippi State
Mississippi State
MS
17,113
54
86
27,000
111,500
Rust
Holly Springs
MS
679
50
55
14,000
58,000
Southern Miss
Hattiesburg
MS
9,654
97
61
25,000
102,500
Central Missouri
Warrensburg
MO
6,688
65
62
23,500
96,000
Ozarks Tech CC
Springfield
MO
5,430
100
10
13,000
26,000
Lindenwood
Saint Charles
MO
5,000
88
99
18,500
76,000
Metropolitan CC-Kansas City
Lees Summit
MO
6,522
100
9
14,000
28,000
Missouri
Columbia
MO
20,676
81
77
29,000
117,500
Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
6,487
61
73
38,500
156,000
Missouri Tech
Rolla
MO
5,692
79
81
17,500
70,500
Missouri-St Louis
St. Louis
MO
5,098
73
92
21,500
87,000
St Louis Univ
St. Louis
MO
6,691
58
97
26,500
107,000
St Louis CC
St. Louis
MO
6,114
100
7
13,000
26,000
SE Missouri State
Cape Girardeau
MO
7,152
86
83
18,000
73,500
Missouri State-Springfield
Springfield
MO
14,005
88
63
27,500
112,000
Washington U St Louis
St. Louis
MO
7,139
14
41
26,000
106,000
Appalachian State
Boone
NC
16,622
77
36
31,500
128,000
Central Piedmont CC
Charlotte
NC
6,790
100
6
15,000
31,000
Duke
Durham
NC
6,597
8
47
18,500
77,000
East Carolina
Greenville
NC
19,204
79
45
37,500
152,000
Elon
Elon
NC
6,079
78
61
37,000
152,000
North Carolina A & T
Greensboro
NC
10,013
58
67
33,000
135,000
UNC Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
18,528
23
41
24,500
99,000
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte
NC
20,877
65
41
28,000
114,000
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro
NC
14,007
82
53
34,000
138,500
North Carolina Central
Durham
NC
5,012
68
75
36,000
147,500
North Carolina State
Raleigh
NC
22,820
45
48
25,500
103,500
UNC Wilmington
Wilmington
NC
12,480
65
41
41,000
168,000
Wake Forest
Winston Salem
NC
5,240
30
36
26,500
110,000
Wake Tech CC
Raleigh
NC
7,362
100
2
19,500
39,000
Western Carolina
Cullowhee
NC
8,934
69
63
21,000
85,500
Akron
Akron
OH
11,641
73
76
23,500
94,000
Bowling Green State
Bowling Green
OH
12,936
72
68
22,500
91,000
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
OH
23,712
77
56
36,000
146,500
Kent State
Kent
OH
18,432
86
87
25,500
104,500
Miami U-Oxford
Oxford
OH
16,682
80
70
38,500
158,500
Ohio State
Columbus
OH
42,776
54
70
33,000
137,000
Ohio U
Athens
OH
16,209
82
81
36,000
147,000
Toledo
Toledo
OH
12,548
96
88
24,500
98,000
Austin Peay State
Clarksville
TN
6,773
95
24
19,000
78,500
Belmont
Nashville
TN
6,563
84
88
35,000
144,500
Bethel
McKenzie
TN
2,300
90
87
18,500
73,500
Carson-Newman
Jefferson City
TN
1,716
69
98
13,500
57,000
Chattanooga State CC
Chattanooga
TN
3,821
100
14
10,500
21,000
Christian Brothers
Memphis
TN
1,384
50
99
14,500
60,000
Cleveland State CC
Cleveland
TN
1,793
100
16
8,500
17,000
Columbia State CC
Columbia
TN
3,249
100
3
9,000
18,500
Cumberland
Lebanon
TN
1,827
61
31
26,500
109,500
Lipscomb
Nashville
TN
2,679
63
97
29,000
120,500
Dyersburg State CC
Dyersburg
TN
1,278
100
33
10,500
21,000
East Tennessee State
Johnson City
TN
9,228
86
38
19,000
78,000
Freed-Hardeman
Henderson
TN
1,306
88
99
21,000
86,000
Jackson State CC
Jackson
TN
2,432
100
6
10,500
21,500
King
Bristol
TN
1,483
62
84
21,000
88,000
South College
Knoxville
TN
2,006
100
56
18,000
72,500
Lane
Jackson
TN
1,239
100
26
16,000
66,500
Lee
Cleveland
TN
3,677
82
82
20,000
83,500
Lincoln Memorial
Harrogate
TN
1,427
50
74
24,000
98,000
Maryville
Maryville
TN
1,071
56
100
26,000
107,500
Memphis
Memphis
TN
12,066
85
79
19,500
81,000
Middle Tennessee State
Murfreesboro
TN
15,721
94
33
18,500
78,000
Motlow State CC
Tullahoma
TN
3,439
100
8
10,000
20,500
Nashville State CC
Nashville
TN
3,397
100
1
11,500
23,000
Rhodes
Memphis
TN
1,945
45
93
28,500
118,000
Roane State CC
Harriman
TN
2,427
100
11
8,500
17,000
Southwest Tennessee CC
Memphis
TN
4,526
100
9
7,500
15,000
The University of the South
Sewanee
TN
1,671
67
98
25,000
103,500
Pellissippi State CC
Knoxville
TN
5,038
100
3
9,000
18,000
Southern Adventist
Collegedale
TN
2,085
100
98
27,500
114,000
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga
TN
9,224
82
57
16,000
66,000
Tennessee
Knoxville
TN
22,018
79
54
17,000
70,500
Tennessee-Martin
Martin
TN
4,754
64
80
16,500
68,000
Tennessee State
Nashville
TN
4,807
100
40
19,500
80,500
Tennessee Tech
Cookeville
TN
8,004
79
48
22,000
91,500
Trevecca Nazarene
Nashville
TN
1,913
62
100
20,000
81,000
Northeast State CC
Blountville
TN
3,251
100
9
9,000
17,500
Tusculum
Greeneville
TN
1,263
72
98
23,000
96,500
Union
Jackson
TN
1,796
53
100
28,000
116,500
Vanderbilt
Nashville
TN
6,833
9
62
17,500
73,000
Volunteer State CC
Gallatin
TN
4,779
100
5
11,000
22,000
Walters State CC
Morristown
TN
3,243
100
16
5,500
11,500
Baylor
Waco
TX
13,906
45
93
39,000
161,000
William and Mary
Williamsburg
VA
6,190
38
42
50,500
207,500
George Mason
Fairfax
VA
21,672
87
37
49,000
201,500
James Madison
Harrisonburg
VA
18,798
77
19
46,000
190,000
Liberty
Lynchburg
VA
28,487
51
81
31,500
128,500
Northern Virginia CC
Annandale
VA
15,540
100
25
24,000
48,500
Old Dominion
Norfolk
VA
14,702
89
76
42,500
176,000
Radford
Radford
VA
6,820
75
42
30,000
122,000
Tidewater CC
Norfolk
VA
6,693
100
7
22,500
45,500
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg
VA
28,584
70
36
39,500
161,500
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond
VA
19,825
87
60
37,000
151,000
UVa
Charlottesville
VA
16,267
24
35
35,500
146,000
West Virginia
Morgantown
WV
19,369
84
76
38,500
158,500
Purdue
West Lafayette
IN
32,606
60
43
41,500
170,500
Georgia State-Perimeter
Decatur
GA
7,784
69
4
17,000
35,000
ECPI
Virginia Beach
VA
13,005
74
36
25,500
104,500
Georgia Gwinnett
Lawrenceville
GA
8,556
94
3
32,000
131,500
Columbia Southern
Orange Beach
AL
7,502
100
82
13,000
53,500
2022-23 projected average net cost for selected colleges including both in- and out-of-state schools.
Scenario
Students with families with an average of $150,000 in annual income, $250,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $150,000 (in line with data from Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances).
College City State Full-time students Admissions % % students paying discounted tuition Avg. annual net cost Total cost of degree
Alabama A & M
Normal
AL
4,975
92
64
32,000
132,000
UAB
Birmingham
AL
10,315
74
78
18,000
74,500
UA Huntsville
Huntsville
AL
6,749
83
83
23,500
96,000
Alabama
Tuscaloosa
AL
29,135
83
56
43,000
177,000
Auburn
Auburn University
AL
22,527
81
61
53,500
220,000
Birmingham Southern
Birmingham
AL
1,201
54
96
27,500
113,000
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville
AL
5,942
55
60
14,000
56,500
North Alabama
Florence
AL
4,901
89
76
29,500
121,500
South Alabama
Mobile
AL
8,065
79
70
28,000
114,500
Troy
Troy
AL
8,741
88
45
23,000
94,000
Arkansas
Fayetteville
AR
20,559
77
39
45,500
187,500
Arkansas State
State University
AR
6,439
80
78
15,000
63,000
Arkansas Tech
Russellville
AR
6,584
95
77
19,500
80,000
Central Arkansas
Conway
AR
7,634
90
58
7,000
29,000
Howard
Washington
DC
6,269
36
98
27,500
111,500
Emory
Atlanta
GA
7,012
16
55
34,000
139,000
Georgia Tech
Atlanta
GA
14,310
21
26
50,000
206,000
Georgia College & State
Milledgeville
GA
5,364
80
11
50,500
208,500
Georgia Southern
Statesboro
GA
19,172
54
16
29,500
119,500
Georgia State
Atlanta
GA
21,958
76
22
44,500
182,000
Georgia
Athens
GA
28,175
45
32
47,500
196,000
Savannah Coll of Art
Savannah
GA
10,260
96
97
51,000
209,500
Valdosta State
Valdosta
GA
6,797
57
25
28,000
113,500
West Georgia
Carrollton
GA
8,090
59
16
35,500
144,500
DePaul
Chicago
IL
12,784
68
98
36,500
149,500
Illinois-Chicago Circle
Chicago
IL
20,195
73
62
41,500
170,500
Illinois-Urbana
Champaign
IL
32,854
59
48
42,000
171,000
Illinois State
Normal
IL
17,092
82
67
38,500
156,500
Loyola Chicago
Chicago
IL
11,622
67
98
43,500
179,500
Northern Illinois
Dekalb
IL
10,567
48
92
27,500
112,000
Ball State
Muncie
IN
14,693
77
60
41,000
165,000
Ivy Tech CC
Indianapolis
IN
21,242
100
15
18,000
36,500
IUPU-Indianapolis
Indianapolis
IN
17,630
81
65
45,000
182,500
IU-Bloomington
Bloomington
IN
31,981
78
71
53,000
215,000
Eastern Kentucky
Richmond
KY
9,908
94
65
29,500
122,500
Kentucky
Lexington
KY
20,622
96
77
42,000
174,000
Louisville
Louisville
KY
11,560
69
80
33,000
136,000
Morehead State
Morehead
KY
5,393
78
74
20,500
82,000
Murray State
Murray
KY
6,190
82
89
37,500
154,000
Northern Kentucky
Highland Heights
KY
8,243
90
83
33,000
135,500
Western Kentucky
Bowling Green
KY
11,815
97
69
36,000
148,500
LSU
Baton Rouge
LA
22,726
75
75
53,500
219,500
Louisiana Lafayette
Lafayette
LA
11,929
68
57
41,500
170,000
UMD College Park
College Park
MD
28,390
44
40
51,500
212,000
Towson
Towson
MD
17,209
76
49
42,500
173,500
Hinds CC
Raymond
MS
6,953
100
29
15,500
31,500
Mississippi
University
MS
15,902
88
63
42,500
174,500
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Perkinston
MS
5,676
100
48
12,500
25,500
Mississippi State
Mississippi State
MS
17,113
54
86
27,000
111,500
Rust
Holly Springs
MS
679
50
55
15,500
63,000
Southern Miss
Hattiesburg
MS
9,654
97
61
25,500
105,500
Central Missouri
Warrensburg
MO
6,688
65
62
28,000
113,500
Ozarks Tech CC
Springfield
MO
5,430
100
10
13,000
26,000
Lindenwood
Saint Charles
MO
5,000
88
99
23,500
95,000
Metropolitan CC-Kansas City
Lees Summit
MO
6,522
100
9
14,000
28,500
Missouri
Columbia
MO
20,676
81
77
43,000
173,500
Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
6,487
61
73
41,000
166,500
Missouri Tech
Rolla
MO
5,692
79
81
21,500
85,500
Missouri-St Louis
St. Louis
MO
5,098
73
92
24,000
98,500
St Louis Univ
St. Louis
MO
6,691
58
97
34,000
137,000
St Louis CC
St. Louis
MO
6,114
100
7
13,000
26,000
SE Missouri State
Cape Girardeau
MO
7,152
86
83
20,000
80,500
Missouri State-Springfield
Springfield
MO
14,005
88
63
30,000
122,500
Washington U St Louis
St. Louis
MO
7,139
14
41
52,500
215,000
Appalachian State
Boone
NC
16,622
77
36
34,000
137,500
Central Piedmont CC
Charlotte
NC
6,790
100
6
18,500
37,500
Duke
Durham
NC
6,597
8
47
47,500
195,500
East Carolina
Greenville
NC
19,204
79
45
38,000
153,500
Elon
Elon
NC
6,079
78
61
48,000
196,500
North Carolina A & T
Greensboro
NC
10,013
58
67
33,000
135,000
UNC Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
18,528
23
41
38,500
156,000
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte
NC
20,877
65
41
37,000
150,500
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro
NC
14,007
82
53
34,000
138,500
North Carolina Central
Durham
NC
5,012
68
75
36,000
147,500
North Carolina State
Raleigh
NC
22,820
45
48
40,000
162,500
UNC Wilmington
Wilmington
NC
12,480
65
41
41,000
168,000
Wake Forest
Winston Salem
NC
5,240
30
36
40,500
166,000
Wake Tech CC
Raleigh
NC
7,362
100
2
21,000
42,500
Western Carolina
Cullowhee
NC
8,934
69
63
21,000
85,500
Akron
Akron
OH
11,641
73
76
26,500
106,500
Bowling Green State
Bowling Green
OH
12,936
72
68
26,500
107,000
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
OH
23,712
77
56
42,500
172,500
Kent State
Kent
OH
18,432
86
87
30,500
124,000
Miami U-Oxford
Oxford
OH
16,682
80
70
40,000
162,500
Ohio State
Columbus
OH
42,776
54
70
48,500
201,000
Ohio U
Athens
OH
16,209
82
81
39,500
161,500
Toledo
Toledo
OH
12,548
96
88
25,500
103,500
Austin Peay State
Clarksville
TN
6,773
95
24
21,500
89,500
Belmont
Nashville
TN
6,563
84
88
35,000
144,500
Bethel
McKenzie
TN
2,300
90
87
18,500
74,000
Carson-Newman
Jefferson City
TN
1,716
69
98
13,500
57,000
Chattanooga State CC
Chattanooga
TN
3,821
100
14
13,000
25,500
Christian Brothers
Memphis
TN
1,384
50
99
18,500
75,500
Cleveland State CC
Cleveland
TN
1,793
100
16
11,000
22,500
Columbia State CC
Columbia
TN
3,249
100
3
9,000
18,500
Cumberland
Lebanon
TN
1,827
61
31
26,500
110,500
Lipscomb
Nashville
TN
2,679
63
97
30,000
126,500
Dyersburg State CC
Dyersburg
TN
1,278
100
33
15,000
30,000
East Tennessee State
Johnson City
TN
9,228
86
38
23,500
96,000
Freed-Hardeman
Henderson
TN
1,306
88
99
29,000
119,500
Jackson State CC
Jackson
TN
2,432
100
6
13,000
26,000
King
Bristol
TN
1,483
62
84
23,500
98,500
South College
Knoxville
TN
2,006
100
56
18,500
74,000
Lane
Jackson
TN
1,239
100
26
16,000
67,000
Lee
Cleveland
TN
3,677
82
82
21,500
88,500
Lincoln Memorial
Harrogate
TN
1,427
50
74
27,500
113,500
Maryville
Maryville
TN
1,071
56
100
29,000
121,000
Memphis
Memphis
TN
12,066
85
79
21,500
88,500
Middle Tennessee State
Murfreesboro
TN
15,721
94
33
19,000
79,500
Motlow State CC
Tullahoma
TN
3,439
100
8
10,000
20,500
Nashville State CC
Nashville
TN
3,397
100
1
14,500
29,500
Rhodes
Memphis
TN
1,945
45
93
37,000
153,500
Roane State CC
Harriman
TN
2,427
100
11
12,000
24,500
Southwest Tennessee CC
Memphis
TN
4,526
100
9
7,500
15,500
The University of the South
Sewanee
TN
1,671
67
98
25,000
103,000
Pellissippi State CC
Knoxville
TN
5,038
100
3
10,500
21,000
Southern Adventist
Collegedale
TN
2,085
100
98
27,500
114,000
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga
TN
9,224
82
57
16,000
66,000
Tennessee
Knoxville
TN
22,018
79
54
17,000
70,500
Tennessee-Martin
Martin
TN
4,754
64
80
17,500
72,500
Tennessee State
Nashville
TN
4,807
100
40
22,500
95,000
Tennessee Tech
Cookeville
TN
8,004
79
48
23,500
99,500
Trevecca Nazarene
Nashville
TN
1,913
62
100
24,000
96,000
Northeast State CC
Blountville
TN
3,251
100
9
10,000
20,000
Tusculum
Greeneville
TN
1,263
72
98
27,500
114,500
Union
Jackson
TN
1,796
53
100
28,000
117,500
Vanderbilt
Nashville
TN
6,833
9
62
33,000
139,500
Volunteer State CC
Gallatin
TN
4,779
100
5
14,000
28,000
Walters State CC
Morristown
TN
3,243
100
16
6,000
12,000
Baylor
Waco
TX
13,906
45
93
48,500
199,000
William and Mary
Williamsburg
VA
6,190
38
42
50,500
207,500
George Mason
Fairfax
VA
21,672
87
37
54,000
221,500
James Madison
Harrisonburg
VA
18,798
77
19
46,000
190,000
Liberty
Lynchburg
VA
28,487
51
81
36,000
146,500
Northern Virginia CC
Annandale
VA
15,540
100
25
24,000
48,500
Old Dominion
Norfolk
VA
14,702
89
76
42,500
176,000
Radford
Radford
VA
6,820
75
42
37,000
150,500
Tidewater CC
Norfolk
VA
6,693
100
7
22,500
45,500
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg
VA
28,584
70
36
46,500
191,500
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond
VA
19,825
87
60
45,000
183,000
UVa
Charlottesville
VA
16,267
24
35
43,000
177,500
West Virginia
Morgantown
WV
19,369
84
76
38,500
158,500
Purdue
West Lafayette
IN
32,606
60
43
41,500
170,500
Georgia State-Perimeter
Decatur
GA
7,784
69
4
17,000
35,000
ECPI
Virginia Beach
VA
13,005
74
36
27,500
114,000
Georgia Gwinnett
Lawrenceville
GA
8,556
94
3
34,000
140,500
Columbia Southern
Orange Beach
AL
7,502
100
82
14,000
57,000
2022-23 projected average net cost for selected colleges including both in- and out-of-state schools.
Scenario
Students with families with an average of $200,000 in annual income, $500,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $200,000 (in line with data from Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances).
College City State Full-time students Admissions % % students paying discounted tuition Avg. annual net cost Total cost of degree
Alabama A & M
Normal
AL
4,975
92
64
32,000
132,000
UAB
Birmingham
AL
10,315
74
78
20,000
83,000
UA Huntsville
Huntsville
AL
6,749
83
83
26,000
105,500
Alabama
Tuscaloosa
AL
29,135
83
56
46,500
192,500
Auburn
Auburn University
AL
22,527
81
61
53,500
220,000
Birmingham Southern
Birmingham
AL
1,201
54
96
27,500
113,000
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville
AL
5,942
55
60
15,500
62,500
North Alabama
Florence
AL
4,901
89
76
29,500
121,500
South Alabama
Mobile
AL
8,065
79
70
30,500
123,500
Troy
Troy
AL
8,741
88
45
23,000
94,000
Arkansas
Fayetteville
AR
20,559
77
39
45,500
187,500
Arkansas State
State University
AR
6,439
80
78
17,500
73,000
Arkansas Tech
Russellville
AR
6,584
95
77
19,500
80,000
Central Arkansas
Conway
AR
7,634
90
58
8,000
33,500
Howard
Washington
DC
6,269
36
98
27,500
111,500
Emory
Atlanta
GA
7,012
16
55
51,500
210,000
Georgia Tech
Atlanta
GA
14,310
21
26
50,000
206,000
Georgia College & State
Milledgeville
GA
5,364
80
11
50,500
208,500
Georgia Southern
Statesboro
GA
19,172
54
16
33,000
134,000
Georgia State
Atlanta
GA
21,958
76
22
44,500
182,000
Georgia
Athens
GA
28,175
45
32
47,500
196,000
Savannah Coll of Art
Savannah
GA
10,260
96
97
52,500
215,000
Valdosta State
Valdosta
GA
6,797
57
25
28,000
113,500
West Georgia
Carrollton
GA
8,090
59
16
37,500
153,000
DePaul
Chicago
IL
12,784
68
98
36,500
149,500
Illinois-Chicago Circle
Chicago
IL
20,195
73
62
41,500
170,500
Illinois-Urbana
Champaign
IL
32,854
59
48
42,000
171,000
Illinois State
Normal
IL
17,092
82
67
38,500
156,500
Loyola Chicago
Chicago
IL
11,622
67
98
43,500
179,500
Northern Illinois
Dekalb
IL
10,567
48
92
27,500
112,000
Ball State
Muncie
IN
14,693
77
60
41,000
165,000
Ivy Tech CC
Indianapolis
IN
21,242
100
15
18,000
36,500
IUPU-Indianapolis
Indianapolis
IN
17,630
81
65
45,000
182,500
IU-Bloomington
Bloomington
IN
31,981
78
71
53,000
215,000
Eastern Kentucky
Richmond
KY
9,908
94
65
29,500
122,500
Kentucky
Lexington
KY
20,622
96
77
42,000
174,000
Louisville
Louisville
KY
11,560
69
80
33,000
136,000
Morehead State
Morehead
KY
5,393
78
74
20,500
82,000
Murray State
Murray
KY
6,190
82
89
37,500
154,000
Northern Kentucky
Highland Heights
KY
8,243
90
83
33,000
135,500
Western Kentucky
Bowling Green
KY
11,815
97
69
36,000
148,500
LSU
Baton Rouge
LA
22,726
75
75
53,500
219,500
Louisiana Lafayette
Lafayette
LA
11,929
68
57
41,500
171,000
UMD College Park
College Park
MD
28,390
44
40
51,500
212,000
Towson
Towson
MD
17,209
76
49
42,500
173,500
Hinds CC
Raymond
MS
6,953
100
29
15,500
32,000
Mississippi
University
MS
15,902
88
63
42,500
174,500
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Perkinston
MS
5,676
100
48
12,500
25,500
Mississippi State
Mississippi State
MS
17,113
54
86
27,000
112,000
Rust
Holly Springs
MS
679
50
55
16,000
67,000
Southern Miss
Hattiesburg
MS
9,654
97
61
25,500
105,500
Central Missouri
Warrensburg
MO
6,688
65
62
28,000
113,500
Ozarks Tech CC
Springfield
MO
5,430
100
10
13,000
26,000
Lindenwood
Saint Charles
MO
5,000
88
99
23,500
95,000
Metropolitan CC-Kansas City
Lees Summit
MO
6,522
100
9
14,000
28,500
Missouri
Columbia
MO
20,676
81
77
44,500
181,000
Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
6,487
61
73
41,000
166,500
Missouri Tech
Rolla
MO
5,692
79
81
21,500
85,500
Missouri-St Louis
St. Louis
MO
5,098
73
92
24,000
98,500
St Louis Univ
St. Louis
MO
6,691
58
97
37,000
149,500
St Louis CC
St. Louis
MO
6,114
100
7
13,000
26,000
SE Missouri State
Cape Girardeau
MO
7,152
86
83
20,000
80,500
Missouri State-Springfield
Springfield
MO
14,005
88
63
30,000
122,500
Washington U St Louis
St. Louis
MO
7,139
14
41
75,000
306,000
Appalachian State
Boone
NC
16,622
77
36
34,000
137,500
Central Piedmont CC
Charlotte
NC
6,790
100
6
19,500
39,500
Duke
Durham
NC
6,597
8
47
71,500
294,000
East Carolina
Greenville
NC
19,204
79
45
38,000
153,500
Elon
Elon
NC
6,079
78
61
54,000
222,500
North Carolina A & T
Greensboro
NC
10,013
58
67
33,000
135,000
UNC Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
18,528
23
41
50,500
203,500
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte
NC
20,877
65
41
37,500
152,000
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro
NC
14,007
82
53
34,000
138,500
North Carolina Central
Durham
NC
5,012
68
75
36,000
147,500
North Carolina State
Raleigh
NC
22,820
45
48
45,000
184,000
UNC Wilmington
Wilmington
NC
12,480
65
41
41,000
168,000
Wake Forest
Winston Salem
NC
5,240
30
36
60,000
248,500
Wake Tech CC
Raleigh
NC
7,362
100
2
21,000
42,500
Western Carolina
Cullowhee
NC
8,934
69
63
21,000
85,500
Akron
Akron
OH
11,641
73
76
29,000
117,000
Bowling Green State
Bowling Green
OH
12,936
72
68
30,000
120,500
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
OH
23,712
77
56
42,500
172,500
Kent State
Kent
OH
18,432
86
87
34,000
140,000
Miami U-Oxford
Oxford
OH
16,682
80
70
51,000
209,000
Ohio State
Columbus
OH
42,776
54
70
53,000
218,500
Ohio U
Athens
OH
16,209
82
81
39,500
161,500
Toledo
Toledo
OH
12,548
96
88
25,500
103,500
Austin Peay State
Clarksville
TN
6,773
95
24
21,500
89,500
Belmont
Nashville
TN
6,563
84
88
52,500
217,000
Bethel
McKenzie
TN
2,300
90
87
19,000
75,000
Carson-Newman
Jefferson City
TN
1,716
69
98
13,500
57,000
Chattanooga State CC
Chattanooga
TN
3,821
100
14
13,000
25,500
Christian Brothers
Memphis
TN
1,384
50
99
21,500
88,500
Cleveland State CC
Cleveland
TN
1,793
100
16
13,000
26,000
Columbia State CC
Columbia
TN
3,249
100
3
9,000
18,500
Cumberland
Lebanon
TN
1,827
61
31
26,500
110,500
Lipscomb
Nashville
TN
2,679
63
97
30,000
126,500
Dyersburg State CC
Dyersburg
TN
1,278
100
33
15,500
31,500
East Tennessee State
Johnson City
TN
9,228
86
38
24,500
99,500
Freed-Hardeman
Henderson
TN
1,306
88
99
32,500
134,500
Jackson State CC
Jackson
TN
2,432
100
6
15,000
30,000
King
Bristol
TN
1,483
62
84
25,500
107,000
South College
Knoxville
TN
2,006
100
56
19,000
76,000
Lane
Jackson
TN
1,239
100
26
16,000
67,000
Lee
Cleveland
TN
3,677
82
82
22,000
91,500
Lincoln Memorial
Harrogate
TN
1,427
50
74
27,500
113,500
Maryville
Maryville
TN
1,071
56
100
29,000
121,000
Memphis
Memphis
TN
12,066
85
79
21,500
88,500
Middle Tennessee State
Murfreesboro
TN
15,721
94
33
19,000
79,500
Motlow State CC
Tullahoma
TN
3,439
100
8
10,000
20,500
Nashville State CC
Nashville
TN
3,397
100
1
17,000
34,500
Rhodes
Memphis
TN
1,945
45
93
44,000
183,000
Roane State CC
Harriman
TN
2,427
100
11
12,000
24,500
Southwest Tennessee CC
Memphis
TN
4,526
100
9
7,500
15,500
The University of the South
Sewanee
TN
1,671
67
98
25,000
103,000
Pellissippi State CC
Knoxville
TN
5,038
100
3
10,500
21,000
Southern Adventist
Collegedale
TN
2,085
100
98
27,500
114,000
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga
TN
9,224
82
57
16,000
66,000
Tennessee
Knoxville
TN
22,018
79
54
17,000
70,500
Tennessee-Martin
Martin
TN
4,754
64
80
17,500
72,500
Tennessee State
Nashville
TN
4,807
100
40
22,500
95,000
Tennessee Tech
Cookeville
TN
8,004
79
48
23,500
99,500
Trevecca Nazarene
Nashville
TN
1,913
62
100
27,000
109,000
Northeast State CC
Blountville
TN
3,251
100
9
11,000
21,500
Tusculum
Greeneville
TN
1,263
72
98
27,500
114,500
Union
Jackson
TN
1,796
53
100
30,500
127,500
Vanderbilt
Nashville
TN
6,833
9
62
46,000
194,000
Volunteer State CC
Gallatin
TN
4,779
100
5
14,500
29,500
Walters State CC
Morristown
TN
3,243
100
16
6,500
12,500
Baylor
Waco
TX
13,906
45
93
50,000
205,000
William and Mary
Williamsburg
VA
6,190
38
42
67,000
276,000
George Mason
Fairfax
VA
21,672
87
37
54,000
221,500
James Madison
Harrisonburg
VA
18,798
77
19
46,000
190,000
Liberty
Lynchburg
VA
28,487
51
81
39,500
161,500
Northern Virginia CC
Annandale
VA
15,540
100
25
24,000
48,500
Old Dominion
Norfolk
VA
14,702
89
76
42,500
176,000
Radford
Radford
VA
6,820
75
42
37,000
150,500
Tidewater CC
Norfolk
VA
6,693
100
7
22,500
45,500
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg
VA
28,584
70
36
46,500
191,500
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond
VA
19,825
87
60
49,000
199,000
UVa
Charlottesville
VA
16,267
24
35
50,000
204,500
West Virginia
Morgantown
WV
19,369
84
76
38,500
158,500
Purdue
West Lafayette
IN
32,606
60
43
41,500
170,500
Georgia State-Perimeter
Decatur
GA
7,784
69
4
17,000
35,000
ECPI
Virginia Beach
VA
13,005
74
36
28,000
114,500
Georgia Gwinnett
Lawrenceville
GA
8,556
94
3
34,000
140,500
Columbia Southern
Orange Beach
AL
7,502
100
82
14,000
57,000
2022-23 projected average net cost for selected colleges including both in- and out-of-state schools.
Scenario
Students with families with an average of $300,000 in annual income, $950,000 in financial assets and home equity of approximately $350,000 (in line with data from Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances).
College City State Full-time students Admissions % % students paying discounted tuition Avg. annual net cost Total cost of degree
Alabama A & M
Normal
AL
4,975
92
64
32,000
132,000
UAB
Birmingham
AL
10,315
74
78
24,000
99,500
UA Huntsville
Huntsville
AL
6,749
83
83
30,500
124,500
Alabama
Tuscaloosa
AL
29,135
83
56
49,000
203,000
Auburn
Auburn University
AL
22,527
81
61
53,500
220,000
Birmingham Southern
Birmingham
AL
1,201
54
96
27,500
113,000
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville
AL
5,942
55
60
18,500
74,000
North Alabama
Florence
AL
4,901
89
76
29,500
121,500
South Alabama
Mobile
AL
8,065
79
70
30,500
123,500
Troy
Troy
AL
8,741
88
45
23,000
94,000
Arkansas
Fayetteville
AR
20,559
77
39
45,500
187,500
Arkansas State
State University
AR
6,439
80
78
22,500
93,000
Arkansas Tech
Russellville
AR
6,584
95
77
19,500
80,000
Central Arkansas
Conway
AR
7,634
90
58
10,500
42,500
Howard
Washington
DC
6,269
36
98
27,500
111,500
Emory
Atlanta
GA
7,012
16
55
75,500
307,000
Georgia Tech
Atlanta
GA
14,310
21
26
50,000
206,000
Georgia College & State
Milledgeville
GA
5,364
80
11
50,500
208,500
Georgia Southern
Statesboro
GA
19,172
54
16
34,000
137,000
Georgia State
Atlanta
GA
21,958
76
22
44,500
182,000
Georgia
Athens
GA
28,175
45
32
47,500
196,000
Savannah Coll of Art
Savannah
GA
10,260
96
97
52,500
215,000
Valdosta State
Valdosta
GA
6,797
57
25
28,000
113,500
West Georgia
Carrollton
GA
8,090
59
16
37,500
153,000
DePaul
Chicago
IL
12,784
68
98
36,500
149,500
Illinois-Chicago Circle
Chicago
IL
20,195
73
62
41,500
170,500
Illinois-Urbana
Champaign
IL
32,854
59
48
42,000
171,000
Illinois State
Normal
IL
17,092
82
67
38,500
156,500
Loyola Chicago
Chicago
IL
11,622
67
98
43,500
179,500
Northern Illinois
Dekalb
IL
10,567
48
92
27,500
112,000
Ball State
Muncie
IN
14,693
77
60
41,000
165,000
Ivy Tech CC
Indianapolis
IN
21,242
100
15
18,000
36,500
IUPU-Indianapolis
Indianapolis
IN
17,630
81
65
45,000
182,500
IU-Bloomington
Bloomington
IN
31,981
78
71
53,000
215,000
Eastern Kentucky
Richmond
KY
9,908
94
65
29,500
122,500
Kentucky
Lexington
KY
20,622
96
77
42,000
174,000
Louisville
Louisville
KY
11,560
69
80
33,000
136,000
Morehead State
Morehead
KY
5,393
78
74
20,500
82,000
Murray State
Murray
KY
6,190
82
89
37,500
154,000
Northern Kentucky
Highland Heights
KY
8,243
90
83
33,000
135,500
Western Kentucky
Bowling Green
KY
11,815
97
69
36,000
148,500
LSU
Baton Rouge
LA
22,726
75
75
53,500
219,500
Louisiana Lafayette
Lafayette
LA
11,929
68
57
41,500
171,000
UMD College Park
College Park
MD
28,390
44
40
51,500
212,000
Towson
Towson
MD
17,209
76
49
42,500
173,500
Hinds CC
Raymond
MS
6,953
100
29
16,500
34,000
Mississippi
University
MS
15,902
88
63
42,500
174,500
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Perkinston
MS
5,676
100
48
12,500
25,500
Mississippi State
Mississippi State
MS
17,113
54
86
27,000
112,000
Rust
Holly Springs
MS
679
50
55
17,000
70,000
Southern Miss
Hattiesburg
MS
9,654
97
61
25,500
105,500
Central Missouri
Warrensburg
MO
6,688
65
62
28,000
113,500
Ozarks Tech CC
Springfield
MO
5,430
100
10
13,000
26,000
Lindenwood
Saint Charles
MO
5,000
88
99
23,500
95,000
Metropolitan CC-Kansas City
Lees Summit
MO
6,522
100
9
14,000
28,500
Missouri
Columbia
MO
20,676
81
77
44,500
181,000
Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City
MO
6,487
61
73
41,000
166,500
Missouri Tech
Rolla
MO
5,692
79
81
21,500
85,500
Missouri-St Louis
St. Louis
MO
5,098
73
92
24,000
98,500
St Louis Univ
St. Louis
MO
6,691
58
97
37,000
149,500
St Louis CC
St. Louis
MO
6,114
100
7
13,000
26,000
SE Missouri State
Cape Girardeau
MO
7,152
86
83
20,000
80,500
Missouri State-Springfield
Springfield
MO
14,005
88
63
30,000
122,500
Washington U St Louis
St. Louis
MO
7,139
14
41
77,500
316,000
Appalachian State
Boone
NC
16,622
77
36
34,000
137,500
Central Piedmont CC
Charlotte
NC
6,790
100
6
19,500
39,500
Duke
Durham
NC
6,597
8
47
78,500
322,000
East Carolina
Greenville
NC
19,204
79
45
38,000
153,500
Elon
Elon
NC
6,079
78
61
54,000
222,500
North Carolina A & T
Greensboro
NC
10,013
58
67
33,000
135,000
UNC Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill
NC
18,528
23
41
50,500
203,500
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte
NC
20,877
65
41
37,500
152,000
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro
NC
14,007
82
53
34,000
138,500
North Carolina Central
Durham
NC
5,012
68
75
36,000
147,500
North Carolina State
Raleigh
NC
22,820
45
48
45,000
184,000
UNC Wilmington
Wilmington
NC
12,480
65
41
41,000
168,000
Wake Forest
Winston Salem
NC
5,240
30
36
76,500
315,000
Wake Tech CC
Raleigh
NC
7,362
100
2
21,000
42,500
Western Carolina
Cullowhee
NC
8,934
69
63
21,000
85,500
Akron
Akron
OH
11,641
73
76
32,000
129,500
Bowling Green State
Bowling Green
OH
12,936
72
68
32,500
131,000
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
OH
23,712
77
56
42,500
172,500
Kent State
Kent
OH
18,432
86
87
38,000
156,000
Miami U-Oxford
Oxford
OH
16,682
80
70
51,500
211,500
Ohio State
Columbus
OH
42,776
54
70
53,000
218,500
Ohio U
Athens
OH
16,209
82
81
39,500
161,500
Toledo
Toledo
OH
12,548
96
88
25,500
103,500
Austin Peay State
Clarksville
TN
6,773
95
24
21,500
89,500
Belmont
Nashville
TN
6,563
84
88
52,500
217,000
Bethel
McKenzie
TN
2,300
90
87
19,500
76,500
Carson-Newman
Jefferson City
TN
1,716
69
98
13,500
57,000
Chattanooga State CC
Chattanooga
TN
3,821
100
14
13,000
25,500
Christian Brothers
Memphis
TN
1,384
50
99
22,500
93,500
Cleveland State CC
Cleveland
TN
1,793
100
16
13,000
26,000
Columbia State CC
Columbia
TN
3,249
100
3
9,000
18,500
Cumberland
Lebanon
TN
1,827
61
31
26,500
110,500
Lipscomb
Nashville
TN
2,679
63
97
30,000
126,500
Dyersburg State CC
Dyersburg
TN
1,278
100
33
15,500
31,500
East Tennessee State
Johnson City
TN
9,228
86
38
24,500
99,500
Freed-Hardeman
Henderson
TN
1,306
88
99
36,000
149,500
Jackson State CC
Jackson
TN
2,432
100
6
16,500
33,500
King
Bristol
TN
1,483
62
84
27,000
113,500
South College
Knoxville
TN
2,006
100
56
20,000
79,500
Lane
Jackson
TN
1,239
100
26
16,000
67,000
Lee
Cleveland
TN
3,677
82
82
22,000
91,500
Lincoln Memorial
Harrogate
TN
1,427
50
74
27,500
113,500
Maryville
Maryville
TN
1,071
56
100
29,000
121,000
Memphis
Memphis
TN
12,066
85
79
21,500
88,500
Middle Tennessee State
Murfreesboro
TN
15,721
94
33
19,000
79,500
Motlow State CC
Tullahoma
TN
3,439
100
8
10,000
20,500
Nashville State CC
Nashville
TN
3,397
100
1
19,000
38,500
Rhodes
Memphis
TN
1,945
45
93
52,500
217,500
Roane State CC
Harriman
TN
2,427
100
11
12,000
24,500
Southwest Tennessee CC
Memphis
TN
4,526
100
9
8,000
16,000
The University of the South
Sewanee
TN
1,671
67
98
25,000
103,000
Pellissippi State CC
Knoxville
TN
5,038
100
3
10,500
21,000
Southern Adventist
Collegedale
TN
2,085
100
98
27,500
114,000
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Chattanooga
TN
9,224
82
57
16,000
66,000
Tennessee
Knoxville
TN
22,018
79
54
17,000
70,500
Tennessee-Martin
Martin
TN
4,754
64
80
17,500
72,500
Tennessee State
Nashville
TN
4,807
100
40
22,500
95,000
Tennessee Tech
Cookeville
TN
8,004
79
48
23,500
99,500
Trevecca Nazarene
Nashville
TN
1,913
62
100
33,500
134,500
Northeast State CC
Blountville
TN
3,251
100
9
12,500
25,000
Tusculum
Greeneville
TN
1,263
72
98
27,500
114,500
Union
Jackson
TN
1,796
53
100
30,500
127,500
Vanderbilt
Nashville
TN
6,833
9
62
72,500
303,500
Volunteer State CC
Gallatin
TN
4,779
100
5
14,500
29,500
Walters State CC
Morristown
TN
3,243
100
16
7,000
14,000
Baylor
Waco
TX
13,906
45
93
50,000
205,000
William and Mary
Williamsburg
VA
6,190
38
42
67,000
276,000
George Mason
Fairfax
VA
21,672
87
37
54,000
221,500
James Madison
Harrisonburg
VA
18,798
77
19
46,000
190,000
Liberty
Lynchburg
VA
28,487
51
81
43,000
176,500
Northern Virginia CC
Annandale
VA
15,540
100
25
24,000
48,500
Old Dominion
Norfolk
VA
14,702
89
76
42,500
176,000
Radford
Radford
VA
6,820
75
42
37,000
150,500
Tidewater CC
Norfolk
VA
6,693
100
7
22,500
45,500
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg
VA
28,584
70
36
46,500
191,500
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond
VA
19,825
87
60
49,000
199,000
UVa
Charlottesville
VA
16,267
24
35
72,000
295,000
West Virginia
Morgantown
WV
19,369
84
76
38,500
158,500
Purdue
West Lafayette
IN
32,606
60
43
41,500
170,500
Georgia State-Perimeter
Decatur
GA
7,784
69
4
17,000
35,000
ECPI
Virginia Beach
VA
13,005
74
36
28,000
114,500
Georgia Gwinnett
Lawrenceville
GA
8,556
94
3
34,000
140,500
Columbia Southern
Orange Beach
AL
7,502
100
82
14,000
57,000
2022-23 projected average net cost for selected colleges including both in- and out-of-state schools.
National Online Colleges
Online education has been a growing trend in undergraduate education and is expected to increase in the future. Most of the schools included in this report have portions of their traditional class load presented online. Several large national online colleges have established themselves. Most popular among older undergraduates, these colleges are accessible to all students wherever they live. The list below provides details about these schools and their costs. These schools are almost all open admission, often with rolling classes that allow students to start their degrees weeks after applying.
wdt_ID | Name | Location | Number of Undergraduates (total) | Number of Undergraduates (online only) | 2020 Tuition & fees, In-state | 2020 tuition & fees, Out-of-state |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Western Governors | UT | 88,921 | 88,921 | 7,100 | 7,100 |
2 | Southern New Hampshire | NH | 82,693 | 76,904 | 9,600 | 9,600 |
3 | American Public University | WV | 37,746 | 37,746 | 9,200 | 9,200 |
4 | Maryland- Global Campus | MD | 47,253 | 36,385 | 9,325 | 15,295 |
5 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 54,139 | 36,273 | 14,750 | 14,750 |
6 | Liberty University | VA | 45,935 | 32,614 | 12,098 | 12,098 |
7 | Strayer | Multiple | 34,395 | 30,789 | 14,930 | 14,930 |
8 | Arizona Global Campus | CA | 28,701 | 28,701 | 16,450 | 16,450 |
9 | Purdue Global | IA | 97,404 | 26,505 | 13,290 | 17,385 |
10 | Brigham Young-Idaho | ID | 42,341 | 21,171 | 1,920 | 1,920 |

Glossary
Cost of Attendance – Full tuition, room, board, fees and an estimate of supplies. The maximum a student can receive or borrow from a Federal Title IV program is the cost of attendance at the college where they enroll.
Federal student financing– Classified as Title IV aid, the US Department of Education finances higher education through several programs, some which obligate the borrower to repay the amount (loans) and some that do not need to be repaid (grants). Loans made through this program are NOT dischargeable in bankruptcy. Major federal programs include:
Pell Grants – Up to $6,345 in 2020/21 calculated based on the student’s FAFSA filing EFC. The lower your EFC, the more in Pell Grants you can receive. Generally, families with incomes below about $90,000 will be eligible for Pell Grants, with declining amount of grants as income and assets increase.
Direct Subsidized Loans – Loans from the federal government that do not accrue interest while the student is enrolled in college and begin to accrue interest when the student graduates or leaves school. In 2020/21, Direct Subsidized Loans charged an interest rate of 2.75%, which is fixed for the life of the loan, and had relatively low maximum amounts and a low 1.1% upfront cost. These loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy.
Direct Unsubsidized Loans – Loans from the federal government that accrue interest while the student is enrolled in college. In 2020/21, Direct Unsubsidized Loans charged an interest rate of 2.75%, which is fixed for the life of the loan, and had relatively low maximum amounts and a low 1.1% upfront cost. These loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy.
Direct PLUS loans – Loans from the federal government to the parent of the undergraduate. Larger amounts can be borrowed under this PLUS program compared to the Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized programs described above, covering need up to the Cost of Attendance. In 2020/21, Direct Subsidized and Unsibsidized Loans charged an interest rate of 7.1%, which is fixed for the life of the loan. The loan costs 4.2% upfront, so add that amount to your college costs if you borrow using this program. These loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy.
Full tuition – The maximum a college has decided to charge its undergraduates. Colleges often lower the actual cost on a student-by-student basis for the reasons stated earlier.
Room & board – Traditional undergraduate education usually includes on-campus lodging and meals. This room and board is included in the net cost found here. Schools also provide estimates of room, board and living costs for students living off campus. These estimates vary widely even for colleges close to one other.