Cost of college statistics: how much does college tuition cost in the US?

1 min read by Unbiased team Last updated November 27, 2024

As the average cost of a college education in the US continues to skyrocket, it is important to know how expenses compare by institution type, state, and other criteria.

Highlights 

  • College tuition costs vary greatly by state and the type of learning institution. 

  • The annual cost of college books and supplies varies between $867 and $1,442. 

  • Columbia University currently has the highest annual tuition fee of $69,045. 

  • The current average in-state public university costs are around $9,375 annually. 

What is the average cost of community college in the US by state? 

The cost of college is more expensive in some states than in others, as indicated by the Education Data Initiative research used in the table below: 

Average community college tuition fees by state (from highest to lowest) in 2023/24

StateIn-State TuitionOut-of-State Tuition
StateIn-State TuitionOut-of-State Tuition
South Dakota$8,600$8,480
New Hampshire$8,360$18,010
Vermont$8,120$16,010
New York$6,540$10,420
Minnesota$6,510$7,060
Massachusetts$6,490$12,540
Pennsylvania$6,390$15,030
Iowa$6,350$8,030
North Dakota$6,140$7,260
Virginia$6,140$14,150
Oregon$6,030$10,220
Alabama$5,920$11,830
South Carolina$5,830$12,100
New Jersey$5,770$9,550
Rhode Island$5,640$15,120
Indiana$5,440$10,480
Alaska$5,370$5,370
Washington$5,360$8,430
Wisconsin$5,320$7,690
Connecticut$5,310$15,820
Kentucky$5,300$17,910
West Virginia$5,250$11,480
Ohio$5,180$9,260
Maryland$5,130$12,470
Tennessee$5,120$19,970
Louisiana$4,950$7,950
Oklahoma$4,920$10,940
Illinois$4,910$13,110
Utah$4,680$14,920
Wyoming$4,680$11,530
Montana$4,670$10,610
Delaware$4,580$11,440
Maine$4,530$7,920
Michigan$4,410$9,050
Missouri$4,310$7,960
Kansas$4,280$5,670
Mississippi$4,100$6,830
Arkansas$4,090$5,690
Colorado$4,070$10,430
Idaho$3,910$9,670
Nevada$3,810$12,200
Hawaii$3,790$9,830
Nebraska$3,730$4,640
Georgia$3,720$10,020
Texas$3,320$9,110
Florida$2,940$10,690
North Carolina$2,900$9,990
Arizona$2,540$8,130
New Mexico$2,070$7,320
California$1,510$9,970

What is the average cost of university in the US by state? 

As per the Education Data Initiative, the cost of college in the US varies considerably from one state to another: 

Average in-state public university costs (from highest to lowest) in 2023/24

StateTuition & FeesTuition Plus Room & Board
StateTuition & FeesTuition Plus Room & Board
Vermont$17,593$30,752
New Hampshire$16,749$29,222
Illinois$14,579$26,252
Pennsylvania$14,532$26,040
Connecticut$14,487$28,425
New Jersey$14,184$28,335
Massachusetts$13,939$28,317
Virginia$13,931$25,761
Michigan$13,716$24,777
Rhode Island$13,697$26,946
South Carolina$12,544$23,181
Minnesota$11,836$21,858
Oregon$11,537$24,517
Arizona$11,410$24,681
Delaware$11,343$24,862
Kentucky$10,976$22,317
Alabama$10,617$20,993
Maine$10,377$20,677
Tennessee$10,271$20,639
Hawaii$10,197$22,012
Ohio$10,049$22,860
Indiana$9,656$20,572
Louisiana$9,656$20,031
Maryland$9,401$22,380
Iowa$9,373$19,788
Missouri$9,310$19,394
Colorado$9,269$22,288
Kansas$9,081$19,082
North Dakota$9,065$18,057
South Dakota$9,012$17,177
Alaska$8,849$22,185
Wisconsin$8,782$17,875
Nebraska$8,761$19,352
Mississippi$8,642$19,221
Arkansas$8,468$18,262
New York$8,416$24,231
California$8,401$24,015
West Virginia$8,252$19,312
Oklahoma$8,064$17,283
Texas$8,016$18,325
Georgia$7,525$18,711
Washington$7,485$21,027
Idaho$7,482$16,518
New Mexico$7,393$17,113
North Carolina$7,260$17,113
Montana$6,993$16,931
Utah$6,764$14,653
Nevada$6,434$18,065
District of Columbia$6,152Unavailable
Wyoming$4,785$14,584
Florida$4,541$15,543
National Average$9,375$21,337

What is the average cost of Ivy League universities in the US? 

There is considerable variation in the costs of attendance between Ivy League schools.  

The following data is based on reports from Statista

Costs of Ivy League universities for 2023/24 

SchoolTuitionRoom & BoardTotal Cost of Attendance
SchoolTuitionRoom & BoardTotal Cost of Attendance
Columbia University$69,045$16,800$85,845
Brown University$68,230$16,598$84,828
University of Pennsylvania$66,104$18,496$84,600
Cornell University$66,014$18,554$84,568
Dartmouth College$65,511$18,759$84,270
Yale University$64,700$19,180$83,880
Harvard University$59,276$20,374$79,650
Princeton University$59,960$19,380$79,340

What is the average cost of university in the US by classification? 

Data from College Board reveals that the average cost of college in the US differs significantly by classification: 

Average cost of university in the US by classification in 2023/24 

Public four-yearPrivate non-profit four-year
Public four-yearPrivate non-profit four-year
DoctoralMaster’sBachelor’sDoctoralMaster’sBachelor’s
Tuition & fees$11,860$9,150$9,110$47,500$30,650$39,570
Room and board$12,880$11,310$11,390$16,000$13,180$13,020
Total cost$24,740$20,460$20,500$63,500$43,830$52,590

What is the average cost of books and supplies for college in the US? 

According to The Educational Data Initiative, the average cost of books and supplies for college per year amounts to: 

  • $1,442 at public two-year institutions. 

  • $1,226 at private, non-profit institutions. 

  • $1,216 at public four-year institutions. 

  • $1,035 at private, for-profit institutions. 

  • $867 at private, non-profit institutions.  

  • $1,416 at private, for-profit 2-year colleges. 

What is the average cost of additional expenses at college in the US? 

At four-year institutions, additional expenses can range between $3,304 and $4,551 annually.  

The figure for two-year institutions ranges between $3,562 and $4,498.  

In particular, SAT prep courses can cost in excess of $5,000. 

The additional costs of college further depend on whether students live on or off campus and with family or alone, as the Educational Data initiative reports: 

On campus students 

Institution TypeAverage Additional Expenses
Institution TypeAverage Additional Expenses
Public four-year$3,304
Private, non-profit four-year$2,818
Private, for-profit four-year$5,268
Public two-year$3,615
Private, non-profit two-year$2,684
Private, for-profit two-year$1,026

On campus students 

Institution TypeAverage Additional Expenses
Institution TypeAverage Additional Expenses
Alone/Not with FamilyWith Family
Public four-year$4,551$4,467
Private, non-profit four-year$3,304$4,467
Private, for-profit four-year$4,506$4,530
Public two-year$4,433$4,450
Private, non-profit two-year$4,932$5,084
Private, for-profit two-year$5,255$4,434

What is the historical average cost of college in the US? 

By amalgamating data from Forbes, Education Data Initiative, and the National Center for Education Statistics and adjusting for inflation, we can see the staggering increase in the average cost of college over time: 

YearAverage cost of college (Inflation-Adjusted)
YearAverage cost of college (Inflation-Adjusted)
1,963$4,499
1973$4,278
1,983$7,950
1,993$10,633
2,003$17,336
2,013$22,261
2,018$24,949
2,020$26,820

Get expert financial advice 

The type of college education that you or your child can get depends greatly on your financial situation. You’ll need deeper pockets to cover the cost of college if your chosen institution is in a particular state or of a specific type.  

To ensure the best possible higher education for yourself or your child, let Unbiased match you with an expert financial advisor. They’ll provide the best advice to ensure that you can cope with college tuition inflation and costs in the most practical and affordable way. 

Find a financial advisor now

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Unbiased team

Our team of writers, who have decades of experience writing about personal finance, including investing and retirement, are here to help you find out what you must know about life’s biggest financial decisions.