Affordable Public Colleges and Universities

A survey made by Key Bank found that only 12% of students selected a school based on affordability. Most students prefer to select a school based on curriculum.

Although choosing a college should be an educational decision, it’s not wise to disregard college costs entirely. If you attend a school you can’t afford, expect your student loans to pile up. You will end up struggling to pay back your loans.

Remember, the unemployment rate in the country is still at 9.7%. That makes for a very dense job market. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll be able to find a job within the grace period of your student loans. Avoid this pressure by minimizing your student loans. You can help reduce your dependency on student loans by attending a school you can afford.

College myth

Some people equate lower cost to lower quality. This generalization is far from the truth. Many affordable universities and colleges that offer top quality education. All you need is an open mind.

Fortunately, Kiplinger Magazine has come up with a study that ranks the best affordable public colleges and universities. The general factors used to determine affordability were based on in-state and out-of-state sticker prices, financial aid resources available and average student loan debt incurred by graduates.

In addition, the study also took into account student-faculty ratios, academic competitiveness and on-time graduation rates to ensure that the schools that made the list offered top quality education.

Here is the list of the most affordable colleges and universities:

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – In-State Cost: $15,296, Out-of-State Cost: $33,184, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $14,936
2. University of Florida – In-State Cost: $12,863, Out-of-State Cost: $32,234, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $15,318
3. University of Virginia – In-State Cost: $19,312, Out-of-State Cost: $41,312, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $19,016
4. College of William and Mary (Va.) – In-State Cost: $20,566, Out-of-State Cost: $40,358, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $12,859
5. Binghamton University (SUNY) – In-State Cost: $18,175, Out-of-State Cost: $26,075, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $14,541
6. University of Georgia – In-State Cost: $16,636, Out-of-State Cost: $34,846, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $14,343
7. University of Washington – In-State Cost: $17,676, Out-of-State Cost: $34,351, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $16,800
8. North Carolina State University – In-State Cost: $18,455, Out-of-State Cost: $34,392, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $20,091
9. SUNY Geneseo – In-State Cost: $17,176, Out-of-State Cost: $25,076, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $18,700
10. North Carolina State University – In-State Cost: $14,390, Out-of-State Cost: $26,875, Average Student Debt after Graduation: $14,996

Sign up on the box at the right. to see what other school cost saving options are available to you.