No, look here: https://studentaid.rutgers.edu/COA/2015-16COA.pdf
Interesting. I don’t know why there’s such a disparity from the same website.
If I were you, I’d definitely consider UNC Wilmington. It’s just as good as, if not better than, UMass Amherst. They may not give you a ton of aid, but it’s still a fantastic deal. Great school with the beach mere minutes away. Very strong academically, particularly in business, the sciences, and film studies. Up-and-coming university that will rival schools like Fordham and UC San Diego in the next five or so years.
Coming from NJ, I’d definitely say that it’s all I ever wanted in a school. 
We live in MD, where state colleges don’t seem to be that generous with merit aid. We’re too high income for need based aid, but can’t afford full pay. Our S16 had high test scores but middling grades. That won’t get him much at state schools, but at somehere like Ole Miss or Temple can get major aid.
@mstomper - those high merit opportunities you cited are state schools
I wonder why some states have lesser variation in tuition for IS/OOS (SUNY) versus others that are multiples of the IS price (UofM).
Demand?
^ I think so. There are even a few on the Northern tier which have NO difference between IS and OOS (Minot State anybody?).
@ClarinetDad16, I meant the state schools in Maryland; I should have been more specific. My point was that out of
There are great state school options especially flagships around the country.
Keep options open if the money can make sense. But don’t hope for things that don’t exist for example merit from non merit schools or significant oos aid at publics that just don’t work that way…
SUNY Binghamton is a great value
Bopper I agree with you 100%.
University of Minnesota - Morris
Also, the South Dakota publics have relatively small differences between in-state and out-of-state tuition.
Answering the generic question, it depends on where you live.
I live in Washington that has a well-respected state flagship so I’d say you’d generally be a moron to head to, say, University of Oregon, and pay OOS tuition. If you’re in Washington and can’t get into UW, you’ll probably still be able to get into Western Washington which is a reasonable choice. Likewise, I grew up in Colorado and you have two public choices that are compelling–Boulder and School of Mines.
On the other hand, I have a relative who recently graduated from high school in Nevada. Without the Millennium Scholarship (AKA the “Nevada mustn’t let its average IQ drop any further” fund), I could imagine every top ten percenter at Reno High hoping to attend Davis, Cal or Brigham Young as they and their parents are firmly on the “Anywhere but UNR” plan. Looking at a news article from the Las Vegas Sun, a recent year had a one of Nevada’s fifty National Merit Scholars decide to stay in state. Looking at the other western states, I would guess that Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico and Wyoming in the same boat.
Going through a gedankenexperiment where I pretend to be a senior looking at my states’ public options and finding them wanting:
- all the ones I’ve named above.
- Louisiana
- Maine
- the Dakotas
- Kentucky
Overall, I’d say I’m in pretty good shape as I have palatable options in 38 of 50 states. This is even more pronounced when you consider that these 11 states only account for 27 of the 435 representative districts. Put another way, 95% of the population has at least one reasonable choice available instate.
Other things to consider:
- I’m assuming your in state cost is reasonable. I’d posit this is generally a good assumption but fails in a few states (e.g. Pennsylvania) where OOS might make sense.
- I’m ignoring the effect of something like the Western Undergraduate Exchange which significantly reduces OOS costs.
- I’m ignoring the effect of merit scholarships. Supporting the Crimson Tide wouldn’t be my thing but I can see its appeal.
With merit aid from an OOS public and no merit aid from the in-state schools (for some reason, they insisted on using a SAT score from eighth grade which was required for a GT program back then), it was MUCH, MUCH less expensive for him to go OOS.
We have found OOS regional state schools for my D16 that will cost less than the state schools here in IL, even the regional IL schools.
Some offer merit scholarships to even B students, and others are part of a Midwestern Exchange and have reduced tuition rates for neighboring states’ residents.
Most regional campuses have a lower price for OOS tuition than the main campus or “flagship”, usually by a significant amount.
And my D thinks the regional schools are “just right”. Not too small, not too big.
So, one thing OP could do is look for the regional/directional state schools; i.e, not the flagship. Someone mentioned UNC-Wilmington. There is also George Mason U and James Madison U, both in VA. Those would be cheaper than UVA or VaTech. Also easier to be admitted.
In Maryland, there is Towson and the UMD campuses.
Fragbot, it’s clear that you don’t what in creation you’re talking about.
There are excellent programs at the state universities of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, particularly in traditional engineering and in the Earth Sciences. Moreover, one school in the Dakotas, SD School of Mines & Technology, has an overall excellent reputation NATIONALLY among engineering professionals and is a very rigorous university.
Check your facts before you shoot from the hip.
HRSMom, Perhaps there are greater differences anong the schools in states that have flagship and non-flagship schools. The SUNY system spreads things (and charges) pretty evenly within categories (Centers, colleges, CC, etc) .
re: # 34. GMU (tuition) is not cheap for OOS ( about 31,000 for tuition alone these days ). UVa is about 37,000, JMU about 25,000 and Virginia Tech about 26,000. Certain programs (like engineering) also add on fees that can bring up tuition further. There is not as much variance in tuition for instate kids. About $10,000 tuition is typical plus room and board , books, fees. Some programs can cost more than others for instate as well .
Sorry, I remember seeing that those schools also gave merit scholarships, though. (We’ve received and checked out so many college websites, it’s possible I’m confusing them with other schools…)
depends on the major. Many state schools now are charging different tuitions for different majors…