Most Affordable Colleges by State

Alabama

#1 Columbia Southern University

CSU is a private, family-owned, for-profit, four-year, mid-sized institution located in Orange Beach, Alabama, which offers graduate and undergraduate programs and specializes in online education. Columbia Southern University was founded in 1993 by Robert Mayes

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$5,520

• Out-of-State:$5,520

• Retention Rate: 56%

• Graduation Rate:24%

#2 Amridge University

Amridge University is an accredited, non-profit, private, and religious university located in Montgomery, Alabama, founded in 1967. The school is ranked 25th in the most affordable Master’s in Pastoral Counseling online for 2019 and it is affiliated with the Churches of Christ.

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$7,180

• Out-of-State:$7,180

• Retention Rate: NA

• Graduation Rate:40%

Alaska

#3 University of Alaska Fairbanks

UAF, located in College, Alaska, is a public research university; a sea-grant, space-grant, and land-grant institution; and a flagship campus of the University of Alaska system. It was established in 1917 but wasn’t opened for classes until 1922.

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$8,538

• Out-of-State:$23,208

• Retention Rate: 73%

• Graduation Rate:32%

#4 University of Alaska Anchorage

UAA, located in Anchorage, Alaska, is a public research university and the biggest post-secondary institution in the state. In addition, the University of Alaska Anchorage administers four community campuses that are spread across South-Central Alaska.

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$7,758

• Out-of-State:$24,576

• Retention Rate: 67%

• Graduation Rate:30%

Arizona

#5 Arizona State University

ASU was established on March 12, 1885, at Tempe as the Territorial Normal School when the 13th Territorial Legislature of Arizona passed the act to create a standard school to train teachers of the Arizona Territory. ASU is still located in Tempe

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$10,710

• Out-of-State:$28,800

• Retention Rate: 73%

• Graduation Rate:48%

#6 University of Phoenix-Arizona

UOPX was founded in 1976 by John D. Murphy and John Sperling, when the very first class consisted of only eight students. The University of Phoenix expanded to San Jose, California in 1980, and in 1989 it launched its online program.

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$9,840

• Out-of-State:$9,840

• Retention Rate: 33%

• Graduation Rate:17%

Arkansas

#7 University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is a four-year, public university that is located in Fort Smith, Arkansas. It is a public research university that is part of the University of Arkansas System along with 13 other campuses. The University of Arkansas

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$7,338

• Out-of-State:$16,428

• Retention Rate: 64%

• Graduation Rate:32%

#8 Arkansas Tech University

Arkansas Tech University is a public university located in Russellville, Arkansas. The university provides programs at both graduate and baccalaureate levels in a variety of fields. In the summer of 2015, Arkansas Tech started its first doctoral cohort program.

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$6,960

• Out-of-State:$13,920

• Retention Rate: 70%

• Graduation Rate:41%

California

#9 California State University

CSU is a public university system created under the California Master Plan for Higher Education in 1960, located in Long Beach, California. The university descended from the system of “California State Normal Schools” and now consists of 23 campuses, eight off-campus centers

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$5,742

• Out-of-State:$11,880

• Retention Rate: 78%

• Graduation Rate:42%

#10 San Francisco State University

SFSU is a public research university in San Francisco that was established as San Francisco State Normal School in 1899. The university is part of a 23-campus California State University system that provides 118 various bachelor's degrees,

• Tuition and fees:

• In-State:$7,270

• Out-of-State:$11,880

• Retention Rate: 80%

• Graduation Rate:55%

View the Full List of 99 Top Colleges by State

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