Even though the in-state public comes at an affordable price, the average college student today can barely afford Tuition/Room & Board at these institutions. One would be hard pressed to find College students who could attend College without taking on some level of student loan debt. For most college students, in-state colleges are their ONLY option and for many, it is in-state colleges that are within easy commuting distance of their home (no R & B). OP, only a select few can afford to send their kid to University of Miami with a COA of $60K/year.