2025 Cost of College Across US States

By Bruno Venditti
Graphics/Design: Amy Kuo

Key Takeaways

• College is cheaper in Utah thanks to low tuition and strong state funding for public universities.
• While Pennsylvania invests heavily in student aid, those gains are offset by some of the nation’s highest tuition and fees.

This visualization compares the cost of attending college as a share of household income for full-time, in-state students living on campus. Alaska is excluded from the analysis because data was unavailable.

The data for this visualization comes from WalletHub as of October 2025. WalletHub’s methodology includes tuition, fees, room and board, and associated expenses.

Pennsylvania Tops the List as the Least Affordable

Pennsylvania ranks as the most expensive state for college, with costs reaching 72.5% of household income. This reflects high tuition levels even though the state invests heavily in financial aid.

Rank	State	Cost as % of Income
1	Pennsylvania	72.5%
2	Rhode Island	71.2%
3	New York	68.3%
4	Massachusetts	62.2%
5	Illinois	61.9%
6	Vermont	60.4%
7	Connecticut	59.7%
8	Louisiana	57.8%
9	Oregon	57.8%
10	Ohio	57.0%
11	Missouri	56.6%
12	Tennessee	56.3%
13	New Hampshire	55.7%
14	Wisconsin	54.7%

15	Mississippi	54.3%
16	Kentucky	52.3%
17	South Carolina	51.9%
18	Indiana	51.6%
19	California	51.5%
20	Arkansas	51.2%
21	Alabama	50.8%
22	Oklahoma	49.8%
23	Maine	49.6%
24	Nebraska	47.7%
25	Michigan	47.6%
26	West Virginia	47.1%
27	Minnesota	46.0%
28	Arizona	45.9%

29	Washington	45.7%
30	New Jersey	45.7%
31	Iowa	45.6%
32	Florida	45.2%
33	North Carolina	44.5%
34	Texas	43.8%
35	Georgia	42.9%
36	Kansas	42.6%
37	Montana	42.4%
38	Virginia	41.6%
39	New Mexico	41.1%
40	Idaho	39.9%
41	Delaware	39.9%
42	Colorado	39.7%

43	Maryland	37.6%
44	South Dakota	37.1%
45	Nevada	36.6%
46	Hawaii	35.4%
47	Wyoming	34.6%
48	North Dakota	33.1%
49	Utah	27.7%

New England and the Northeast Remain High-Cost Hubs

Several Northeastern states, including Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont, appear near the top of the list. These states often feature strong academic institutions but also high living expenses and tuition rates. Limited public funding contributes to higher student costs compared to the national average.

Utah, North Dakota, and Wyoming Stand Out for Affordability

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Utah is the most affordable state with college costs representing just 27.7% of household income. This reflects low tuition, efficient public university systems, and strong funding models. Institutions in the state often offer programs for low-income students, including incentives that provide free tuition and fees.

North Dakota and Wyoming also remain cost-effective, supported by relatively low fees and competitive state investment.

(Source : visualcapitalist.com)