Ranked

888 uS universities with the lowest tuition

Published in-state tuition, lowest first. The sticker price is not what most families pay — the net price by income sits on each university page.

#UniversityIn-stateCost of attendance BorrowPaying downSATAcceptance
201 University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, Wisconsin $9,008 $19,781 43% 76% 1150 82%
202 University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas $9,011 $22,352 39% 55% 1105 87%
203 State University of New York at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, New York $9,035 $28,244 57% 63% 1165 78%
204 Boise State University Boise, Idaho $9,048 $28,224 24% 54% — 87%
205 University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, Maryland $9,076 $25,941 52% 27% — 96%
206 University of Idaho Moscow, Idaho $9,084 $23,738 38% 62% 1116 76%
207 University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama $9,098 $28,145 40% 51% 1258 88%
208 Dickinson State University Dickinson, North Dakota $9,118 $20,567 34% 76% — 37%
209 Marshall University Huntington, West Virginia $9,162 $22,022 40% 42% 1061 96%
210 University of New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana $9,172 $23,431 28% 63% 1052 74%
211 Texas Southern University Houston, Texas $9,173 $27,052 67% 27% 914 97%
212 University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, Louisiana $9,190 $24,932 35% 63% 1116 85%
213 Bowie State University Bowie, Maryland $9,218 $25,220 44% 31% — 72%
214 Utah State University Logan, Utah $9,228 $21,654 19% 70% 1187 92%
215 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, Texas $9,228 $25,505 46% 58% 1041 90%
216 University of Texas Permian Basin Odessa, Texas $9,236 $23,886 29% 60% 1033 95%
217 Evergreen State College Olympia, Washington $9,264 $28,477 40% 55% 1216 96%
218 University of Arkansas - Monticello Monticello, Arkansas $9,292 $22,519 39% 45% — —
219 South Dakota State University Brookings, South Dakota $9,299 $24,636 43% 76% 1120 98%
220 Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington $9,417 $28,816 31% 62% — 91%
221 University of Maine at Fort Kent Fort Kent, Maine $9,420 $18,703 18% 64% — 98%
222 University of South Dakota Vermillion, South Dakota $9,432 $24,422 40% 69% 1125 99%
223 New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology Socorro, New Mexico $9,476 $24,967 31% 73% 1207 44%
224 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, Wisconsin $9,488 $20,079 49% 74% 1150 92%
225 Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana $9,532 $22,183 24% 53% 1100 84%
226 Minnesota State University, Mankato Mankato, Minnesota $9,572 $23,995 40% 70% 1150 88%
227 Franklin University Columbus, Ohio $9,577 $30,696 41% 40% — —
228 University of Nevada, Reno Reno, Nevada $9,578 $25,786 24% 66% 1132 74%
229 Western Washington University Bellingham, Washington $9,582 $30,359 29% 74% 1289 93%
230 University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah $9,620 $25,557 21% 72% 1257 86%
231 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, Wisconsin $9,642 $21,705 42% 76% 1220 82%
232 Dakota State University Madison, South Dakota $9,654 $25,753 34% 67% 1215 88%
233 Community Christian College Quartzsite, Arizona $9,675 $27,218 93% 30% — —
234 Wichita State University Wichita, Kansas $9,684 $21,780 32% 54% 1092 94%
235 Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, Alabama $9,700 $21,353 42% 44% 1093 92%
236 University of Houston Houston, Texas $9,717 $26,185 32% 62% 1250 74%
237 University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, Texas $9,736 $24,505 32% 58% 1114 94%
238 University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas $9,744 $19,836 27% 46% 962 100%
239 University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada $9,748 $19,638 26% 53% 1094 96%
240 University of Arkansas - Little Rock Little Rock, Arkansas $9,748 $22,519 36% 58% 1049 59%

Questions

Cheapest tuition in the US: which university leads?
University of Wisconsin - River Falls — $9,008 in-state tuition.
Where does this data come from?
The US Department of Education College Scorecard, which publishes what institutions charge, what students borrow and repay, and the test scores of admitted students. Nothing here is estimated — universities without a published figure are left out of the ranking.
Is the cheapest university the best value?
Not necessarily. Price is one half of value; the other is what graduates earn and whether they clear the debt. Each university page links to its earnings and repayment record.
All university data Most expensive Best loan repayment Fewest borrowers Highest SAT Highest acceptance

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Universities without a published figure for the ranked measure are not listed.