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10 Cheapest Public Schools for In-State Students

By WTOP Staff

The U.S. News Short List, separate from our overall rankings, is a regular series that magnifies individual data points in hopes of providing students and parents a way to find which undergraduate or graduate programs excel or have room to grow in specific areas. Be sure to explore The Short List: College and The Short List: Grad School to find data that matters to you in your college or graduate school search.

Going to a public school in your home state is typically a safe way to keep college costs low. At some schools, in-state tuition and fees are just a few thousand dollars, making the cost of a year of education similar to the price of a two-week vacation abroad.

At Bismarck State College, tuition and fees for in-state students for the 2014-2015 school year is just $4,222. The North Dakota school charged in-state students the lowest tuition and fees of any of the 413 ranked public institutions that submitted data to U.S. News.

[Learn about tools that give you a tailored estimate of what you’ll pay for college.]

Most of the 10 schools with low in-state tuition and fees for 2014-2015 are regional colleges and universities, such as Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, which charges $4,497, and Utah’s Weber State University, which costs $5,126. Regional Universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs and a few graduate-level programs. Regional Colleges also focus on undergraduate education, but they grant fewer than half their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.

Among all of the schools on the list, average in-state tuition and fees is $4,893 — a slight increase from the average of $4,876 for the 2013-2014 cheapest public schools. For all 413 schools that submitted data for 2014-2015, the average is $8,794.

[Find out where in-state students have high tuition.]

Out of all the schools that submitted data to U.S. News, the University of Pittsburgh charges in-state students the most: $17,772. The federal military academies, which ask for postgraduation service in lieu of charging tuition, were not included in this list.

Below is a list of the 10 public schools where in-state students will pay the least for the 2014-2015 school year. Unranked schools, which did not meet certain criteria required by U.S. News to be numerically ranked, were not considered for this report.

School (name) (state) 2014-2015 in-state tuition and fees U.S. News rank and category
Bismarck State College (ND) $4,222 69 (tie), Regional Colleges (Midwest)
Fort Hays State University (KS) $4,469 RNP*, Regional Universities (Midwest)
Elizabeth City State University (NC) $4,497 29 (tie), Regional Colleges (South)
University of Wyoming $4,646 161 (tie), National Universities
Northeastern State University (OK) $4,994 84 (tie), Regional Universities (West)
Fayetteville State University (NC) $5,035 RNP, Regional Universities (South)
Weber State University (UT) $5,126 68 (tie), Regional Universities (West)
University of North Carolina–Pembroke $5,287 87 (tie), Regional Universities (South)
Louisiana State University–Alexandria $5,315 RNP, National Liberal Arts Colleges
Cameron University (OK) $5,340 RNP, Regional Universities (West)

* RNP denotes an institution that is ranked in the bottom one-fourth of its ranking category. U.S. News calculates a rank for the school but has decided not to publish it.

Don’t see your school in the top 10? Access the U.S. News College Compass to find tuition and fees data, complete rankings and much more. School officials can access historical data and rankings, including of peer institutions, via U.S. News Academic Insights.

U.S. News surveyed nearly 1,800 colleges and universities for our 2014 survey of undergraduate programs. Schools self-reported myriad data regarding their academic programs and the makeup of their student body, among other areas, making U.S. News’ data the most accurate and detailed collection of college facts and figures of its kind. While U.S. News uses much of this survey data to rank schools for our annual Best Colleges rankings, the data can also be useful when examined on a smaller scale. U.S. News will now produce lists of data, separate from the overall rankings, meant to provide students and parents a means to find which schools excel, or have room to grow, in specific areas that are important to them. While the data come from the schools themselves, these lists are not related to, and have no influence over, U.S. News’ rankings of Best Colleges or Best Graduate Schools. The tuition and fees data above are correct as of Nov. 4, 2014.

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10 Cheapest Public Schools for In-State Students originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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