- Average 2024-2025 annual tuition for public, four-year colleges is $11,610 for state residents, and $30,780 for out-of-state residents, according to CollegeBoard data.
- On average, annual room and board costs added $13,310 to the cost of college.
- Federal student loans have lower interest rates and more repayment options than private loans.
There's no doubt that college in the U.S. is expensive, though the cost of school has dropped in many states recently.
While tuition has fallen slightly, that's far from the only cost a student will encounter at a college or university. Things like room and board, textbooks and supplies, personal expenses, activity fees, and transportation can all add up quickly.
Oftentimes, grants and scholarships don't cover everything. Almost 30% of students graduated with student loans in the 2023-24 school year, according to the most recent CollegeBoard data.
Annual average in-state tuition at public 4-year colleges and universities
Across the U.S., college costs for public institutions have come down.
Compared to tuition five years ago, average in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions fell in all but one state after adjusting for inflation. The average in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions decreased by 10% or more in 23 states after adjusting for inflation.
College tuition has dropped, but that's far from the only expense a student will encounter at a college or university. Out-of-state students also tend to pay more at state schools than in-state students.
According to data from CollegeBoard, the average college tuition at a public, four-year university for the 2024-2025 school year was $11,610 for in-state students. The average public, four-year university tuition for in-state students in 2023-24 was $11,310, which means that, recently, tuition has increased 2.7% year over year.
| State | 2023-2024 in-state tuition and fees | 2024-2025 in-state tuition and fees | 1-year change | 5-year change |
| Alabama | $12,268 | $12,180 | -0.7% | -8.0% |
| Alaska | $11,041 | $10,920 | -1.1% | 4.17% |
| Arizona | $14,020 | $13,900 | -0.9% | -10.2% |
| Arkansas | $10,049 | $10,104 | 0.5% | -12.3% |
| California | $16,084 | $16,607 | 3.2% | -5.2% |
| Colorado | $14,043 | $14,002 | -0.3% | -8.8% |
| Connecticut | $20,996 | $21,044 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| Delaware | $16,577 | $16,810 | 1.4% | -4.2% |
| Florida | $6,578 | $6,381 | -3.0% | -18.6% |
| Georgia | $11,526 | $11,440 | -0.7% | -22.9% |
| Hawaii | $12,563 | $12,186 | -3.0% | -18.6% |
| Idaho | $9,089 | $9,084 | -0.1% | -10.9% |
| Illinois | $18,115 | $17,640 | -2.6% | -11.4% |
| Indiana | $12,115 | $12,144 | -0.1% | -9.7% |
| Iowa | $11,303 | $11,283 | -0.2% | -4.4% |
| Kansas | $12,062 | $12,284 | 1.8% | -10.5% |
| Kentucky | $13,620 | $13,502 | -0.9% | -11.1% |
| Louisiana | $12,326 | $11,954 | -3.0% | -18.7% |
| Maine | $12,996 | $13,326 | 2.5% | -5.2% |
| Maryland | $11,861 | $11,809 | -0.4% | -10.8% |
| Massachusetts | $17,894 | $17,772 | -0.7% | -11.7% |
| Michigan | $17,761 | $17,736 | -0.1% | -7.2% |
| Minnesota | $17,006 | $17,370 | 2.1% | -5.9% |
| Mississippi | $9,703 | $9,772 | 0.7% | -9.9% |
| Missouri | $14,559 | $14,830 | 1.9% | 17.5% |
| Montana | $8,404 | $8,552 | 1.8% | -5.4% |
| Nebraska | $10,258 | $10,434 | 1.7% | -9.3% |
| Nevada | $9,291 | $9,578 | 3.1% | -3.0% |
| New Hampshire | $19,703 | $19,202 | -2.5% | -17.2% |
| New Jersey | $17,772 | $17,929 | 0.9% | -5.3% |
| New Mexico | $10,614 | $10,298 | -3.0% | 10.9% |
| New York | $11,115 | $10,936 | -1.6% | -15.4% |
| North Carolina | $9,276 | $8,994 | -3.0% | -18.6% |
| North Dakota | $11,290 | $10,951 | -3.0% | -8.5% |
| Ohio | $13,257 | $13,244 | -0.1% | -2.8% |
| Oklahoma | $12,879 | $12,785 | -0.7% | -11.5% |
| Oregon | $16,151 | $16,137 | -0.1% | 3.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $20,280 | $20,066 | -1.1% | -11.5% |
| Rhode Island | $16,915 | $16,942 | 0.2% | -5.3% |
| South Carolina | $13,080 | $12,688 | -3.0% | -18.6% |
| South Dakota | $9,724 | $9,432 | -3.0% | -17.7% |
| Tennessee | $13,901 | $13,812 | -0.6% | -15.2% |
| Texas | $11,194 | $10,858 | -3.0% | -18.3% |
| Utah | $10,605 | $10,625 | 0.2% | -9.0% |
| Vermont | $19,474 | $19,058 | -2.1% | -17.5% |
| Virginia | $19,398 | $19,422 | 0.1% | -5.0% |
| Washington | $13,034 | $12,973 | -0.5% | -7.9% |
| West Virginia | $11,551 | $11,603 | 1.6% | -8.4% |
| Wisconsin | $9,447 | $9,162 | 0.4% | -11.9% |
| Wyoming | $6,905 | $6,957 | 0.8% | 1.5% |
Annual average out-of-state tuition at public 4-year colleges and universities
Data from CollegeBoard confirms that students pay more to attend a school that is not in their home state.
The average college tuition for out-of-state students at a public, four-year university for the 2024-2025 school year was $30,780. The average public, four-year university tuition for out-of-state students in 2023-24 was $29,840. This means tuition has increased 3.2% year over year.
| State | 2023-2024 out-of-state tuition and fees | 2024-2025 out-of-state tuition and fees | 1-year change | 5-year change |
| Alabama | $34,226 | $34,172 | -0.2% | -8.1% |
| Alaska | $29,350 | $27,900 | -4.9% | -13.4% |
| Arizona | $42,268 | $42,300 | 0.1% | -5.9% |
| Arkansas | $29,662 | $29,966 | 1.0% | -5.7% |
| California | $49,665 | $50,808 | 2.3% | -6.0% |
| Colorado | $43,263 | $43,622 | 0.8% | -7.3% |
| Connecticut | $44,364 | $43,712 | -1.5% | -10.8% |
| Delaware | $40,948 | $41,400 | 1.1% | -5.6% |
| Florida | $29,545 | $28,658 | -3.0% | -18.6% |
| Georgia | $31,154 | $31,678 | 1.7% | -17.2% |
| Hawaii | $32,276 | $34,218 | -3.0% | -18.6% |
| Idaho | $28,919 | $28,329 | -2.1% | -16.3% |
| Illinois | $37,183 | $36,760 | -1.1% | -10.3% |
| Indiana | $41,732 | $41,890 | 0.4% | -6.6% |
| Iowa | $33,945 | $33,371 | -1.7% | -14.0% |
| Kansas | $30,321 | $30,614 | 1.0% | -11.1% |
| Kentucky | $34,439 | $34,140 | -0.9% | -9.4% |
| Louisiana | $29,525 | $28,640 | -3.0% | -18.6% |
| Maine | $36,439 | $36,756 | 0.9% | -5.8% |
| Maryland | $41,552 | $41,186 | -0.9% | -9.1% |
| Massachusetts | $40,539 | $40,449 | -0.2% | -7.8% |
| Michigan | $59,867 | $60,946 | 1.8% | -3.1% |
| Minnesota | $37,536 | $38,518 | 2.6% | -5.9% |
| Mississippi | $27,814 | $28,600 | 2.8% | -7.3% |
| Missouri | $35,383 | $36,040 | 1.9% | 3.7% |
| Montana | $32,600 | $33,671 | 3.3% | 4.8% |
| Nebraska | $28,536 | $28,764 | 0.8% | -9.3% |
| Nevada | $26,771 | $27,720 | 3.5% | -2.3% |
| New Hampshire | $40,084 | $39,852 | -0.6% | -8.4% |
| New Jersey | $37,114 | $37,441 | 0.9% | -5.3% |
| New Mexico | $34,244 | $33,217 | -3.0% | 16.1% |
| New York | $31,517 | $31,536 | -0.1% | -9.0% |
| North Carolina | $40,554 | $41,203 | 1.6% | -7.3% |
| North Dakota | $16,051 | $15,570 | -3.0% | -8.5% |
| Ohio | $39,551 | $40,022 | 1.2% | 1.6% |
| Oklahoma | $30,477 | $31,090 | 2.0% | -6.8% |
| Oregon | $44,639 | $44,598 | -0.1% | -0.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $40,851 | $41,212 | 0.9% | -5.6% |
| Rhode Island | $36,911 | $37,146 | 0.6% | -4.6% |
| South Carolina | $36,014 | $35,972 | -0.1% | -13.7% |
| South Dakota | $13,342 | $12,942 | -3.0% | -17.8% |
| Tennessee | $32,963 | $33,256 | 0.9% | -13.9% |
| Texas | $41,837 | $42,554 | 1.7% | -9.4% |
| Utah | $34,067 | $34,180 | 0.3% | -7.7% |
| Vermont | $45,247 | $45,502 | 0.6% | -15.2% |
| Virginia | $58,173 | $58,142 | -0.1% | -5.3% |
| Washington | $43,295 | $43,209 | -0.2% | -7.9% |
| West Virginia | $28,206 | $28,608 | 1.4% | -8.0% |
| Wisconsin | $41,858 | $42,103 | 0.6% | -9.3% |
| Wyoming | $23,173 | $23,367 | 0.8% | 4.8% |
Average annual tuition at private 4-year colleges and universities
Tuition at private colleges and universities can be quite a bit more expensive. According to data from CollegeBoard, the average private school tuition was $43,350 per year during the 2024-2025 school year. This is 3.9% (before adjusting for inflation) higher than private school tuition was in 2023-2024.
Keep in mind the cost of medical school and law school, among other specialized programs, will be higher. Also, remember that those higher tuitions will generally come with higher average salaries — if you're asking, "is law school worth it?" this should factor into your decision-making process.
| School year | Average tuition cost | Year-over-year change |
| 2014-2015 | $41,510 | 0.2% |
| 2015-2016 | $42,860 | 3.3% |
| 2016-2017 | $43,840 | 2.3% |
| 2017-2018 | $44,480 | 1.5% |
| 2018-2019 | $44,630 | 0.3% |
| 2019-2020 | $45,310 | 1.5% |
| 2020-2021 | $45,240 | -0.2% |
| 2021-2022 | $44,130 | -2.5% |
| 2022-2023 | $42,870 | -2.9% |
| 2023-2024 | $343,030 | 0.4% |
| 2024-2025 | $43,350 | 0.7% |
Average room and board cost
Costs for on-campus dorms, meal plans, and transportation add up. According to CollegeBoard, public and private colleges handle room and board costs differently. Here's how the average cost breaks down across three types of schools for the 2024-2025 school year.
| Type of college | Average annual room and board cost |
| Public two-year college | $10,390 |
| Public four-year college | $13,310 |
| Private four-year college | $15,250 |
Average amount of financial aid
While the average tuition cost is high, there's a good chance you won't pay full price. According to data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics, about 86% of students receive some form of financial aid.
According to data from CollegeBoard, the average undergraduate student received $16,360 worth of student aid during the 2023-2024 school year (the most recent year for which data was available). The average graduate student received more, at $28,420 a year.
| School year | Average undergraduate student financial aid received | Average graduate student financial aid received |
| 2023-2024 | $16,352 | $28,422 |
| 2022-2023 | $16,385 | $29,029 |
| 2021-2022 | $16,947 | $31,034 |
| 2020-2021 | $17,220 | $33,094 |
| 2019-2020 | $17,585 | $33,620 |
| 2018-2019 | $17,718 | $33,632 |
| 2017-2018 | $18,122 | $33,723 |
| 2016-2017 | $18,181 | $33,501 |
| 2015-2016 | $18,431 | $32,810 |
| 2014-2015 | $18,345 | $32,788 |
| 2013-2014 | $18,427 | $33,583 |
Source: CollegeBoard
Average student loan debt taken on per year
During the 2023-2024 school year, the average loan taken out varied between undergraduate and graduate students. Here's the average annual loan amount taken according to CollegeBoard, along with the costs multiplied by four. Federal student loan interest rates from the U.S. Department of Education associated with each loan type are also listed for the 2023-2024 school year. Current rates are also listed.
| Type of loan | Average loan taken during 2023-2024 school year | Average projected loan balance over 4 years | Federal student loan interest rate, 2023-2024 | Federal student loan interest rate, 2024-2025 |
| Undergraduate — subsidized and unsubsidized | $6,590 | $26,360 | 5.50% | 6.53% |
| Undergraduate — PLUS | $21,300 | $85,200 | 8.05% | 9.08% |
| Graduate — subsidized and unsubsidized | $19,520 | $78,080 | 7.05% | 8.08% |
| Graduate — PLUS | $32,160 | $128,640 | 8.05% | 9.08% |
Sources: CollegeBoard and U.S. Department of Education
Student loans for the 2024-2025 school year will have higher interest rates. Subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans will carry a 6.53% interest rate for undergraduate and 8.08% for graduate borrowers. PLUS loan interest rates are 9.08% for undergraduate and graduate borrowers in the upcoming school year.
Private student loans are also an option. Offered by banks, credit unions, and online lenders, private student loans are an alternative to federal student loans that can be easy to qualify for, though the lending terms and benefits are generally less favorable.
The average private student loan interest rate tends to be higher than federal student loan interest rates. Data from private student lender LendEDU backs up this trend:
| Year | Average private student loan funded | Average interest rate |
| 2020 | $11,279 | Insufficient data |
| 2019 | $13,954 | 10.63% |
| 2018 | $13,954 | 9.69% |
| 2017 | $12,772 | 8.01% |
| 2016 | $16,285 | 8.08% |
It's also worth noting that private student loans don't have options available like income-driven repayment.
Average cost of college tuition FAQs
The average cost of tuition for the 2024-2025 school year at a public, four-year college was $11,610 for in-state students and $30,780 for out-of-state students. Four-year private institutions are substantially more expensive, costing an average of $43,350 annually.
In-state tuition generally costs less than out-of-state tuition. The exact difference in price will vary based on the particular states and colleges you are considering.
Several factors can influence the cost of tuition, including location, college ranking, institution prestige, state funding, and current tuition trends.
Yes, there are more affordable options than attending a traditional four-year university. Students can explore public two-year colleges or trade schools as alternatives.
How much financial aid a student can get varies on a case-by-case basis. However, college students may be eligible for federal student loans, grants, scholarships, private student loans, and work-study programs.
To plan for college expenses as a parent or student, one of the best strategies is to start early. Researching the cost of attendance for the college you or your child is interested in and checking how much financial aid you or your child will be eligible for can help you create a budget and plan accordingly. Parents can also open a college savings account for their child, such as a 529 plan.
