Most Affordable Colleges & Universities for 2024100 Cheapest Colleges & Universities in the U.S.
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Carrie Sealey-Morris, B.A.
Author
Managing Editor
B.A.
Carrie Sealey-Morris has covered bootcamps, careers, and higher education for College Consensus since 2017. Carrie is a graduate of the University of New Mexico where she earned a B.A. in American Studies.
Jeremy Alder has spent over a decade researching and writing about higher education to provided students with the information they need to achieve their goals. He has significant personal experience with career transitions, working as a freelance writer and editor, non-profit director, community organizer, preacher, teacher, retail manager, and carpenter prior to founding College Consensus. Homeschooled from the second grade, Jeremy is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (B.A., Philosophy) and Duke University Divinity School (M.Div.). He currently lives in North Carolina with his wife, five kids, and a Labradoodle named Hank.
In the age of rapidly rising tuition – college costs have risen far faster than the rate of inflation in the 21st century, and even faster than financial aid – affordability is no joke. With our ranking of the 100 Most Affordable Colleges & Universities, College Consensus is lighting up the way to a college education students can actually afford.
Student debt represents the second-largest consumer debt class (after mortgages). Earning a college degree without setting yourself up for a life of loan repayment is more important than ever. The cheapest accredited colleges and universities offer students the opportunity to earn their degree without taking on a mountain of debt.
Recommended Online Colleges & Universities
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Methodology: How We Ranked the Most Affordable Colleges & Universities
Our ranking of the 100 Most Affordable Colleges & Universities is ordered from lowest to highest out-of-state tuition & fees for full-time undergraduate students. All of these schools are accredited and recognized by the National Center for Education Statistics. College Consensus is happy to show prospective students and their families where to find a school that not only won’t break the bank, but will also provide a quality, respected degree to take into the marketplace. If you’re interested in an affordable online degree, be sure to check out our ranking of the Most Affordable Online Colleges.
Summary of the Top 10 Cheapest Colleges in the United States
What Makes the Most Affordable Colleges and Universities?
So how does College Consensus determine what makes the most affordable colleges and universities? It’s pretty easy to say what makes a college affordable: low tuition, obviously. But as for what makes an affordable college really worthwhile – that takes a little more explanation. After all, it’s no secret that college is more expensive than ever. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the total cost of attendence for public universities (living on-campus) in 2021-22 academic year was more than $26,000.
Institution
2010-2011
2021-2022
Public
$9100
$9700
Private Non-Profit
$34,000
$38,800
Private For-Profit
$19,400
$17,800
Data: NCES – Average Semester Tuition and Fees
That raises the question: is a college degree still worth it? The short answer is, yes, almost without a doubt. Why? Because, on average, people still make a lot more money with a college degree than without – more than 60% higher, according to NCES data. Male and female, young and old, every race, the stats hold true: a college degree holder makes more money than a worker without a college degree. However, that average can be a bit misleading. For one, a Georgetown University study shows that the major you choose – and, therefore, the career you go into – makes a huge difference. Engineering and science majors make far more than the average, while social work and education majors make far lower; business majors fall right along the median. Some jobs just make more money than others.
Meanwhile, the average graduate is more than $37,000 in student debt, and considering that many people have no student debt, thanks to loans, grants, or helpful parents, that means plenty of graduates are entering with workforce with far more debt than that. So, when you’re thinking about an affordable college degree, the most affordable colleges and universities aren’t just the ones with the lowest tuition – they’re the ones with the most value.(And almost as good as a tuition-free college). So plan carefully; think very seriously about how you are preparing for college, because financial smarts are just as important as book smarts. Reasonable costs, market-ready skills, in-demand professions: these are the things that make the most affordable colleges in the US a smart investment for tomorrow’s professionals and leaders.
