National hub · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in America

According to U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, the cheapest colleges in America by state: real average net price after grant and scholarship aid, not sticker tuition.

51
States + DC ranked
4,849
Schools covered
$17,124
National median net price

New Mexico has the lowest median college net price of any U.S. state on this hub

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, New Mexico's median average net price is $8,889 after grant aid across 39 ranked schools. The national median across 4,965 schools is $17,124, while District of Columbia sits at $29,561. Rankings use state medians so a single outlier school cannot redefine a whole state.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

New Mexico median net price
$8,889
National median net price
$17,124
States + DC ranked
51
Schools covered
4,849

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The map in one line

New Mexico has the lowest median net price of any state at $8,889, while District of Columbia's median runs $20,672 higher at $29,561, and the national median across 4,965 schools sits at $17,124.

$8,889
New Mexico, lowest state median
$29,561
District of Columbia, highest state median
$17,124
national median net price
51
states with a dedicated ranking

Ranked by state MEDIAN net price (not the single cheapest school), so one outlier institution cannot make a whole state look artificially cheap or expensive. States or territories with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting schools are not shown.

Every state, ranked by median net price

1
Alabama65 schools ranked · cheapest: George C Wallace Community College-Dothan
State median net price
$15,258
Cheapest school's price
$1,170
2
Alaska10 schools ranked · cheapest: Ilisagvik College
State median net price
$15,301
Cheapest school's price
$6,743
3
Arizona81 schools ranked · cheapest: Pima Community College
State median net price
$20,834
Cheapest school's price
$3,405
4
Arkansas69 schools ranked · cheapest: Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas
State median net price
$14,060
Cheapest school's price
$4,385
5
California492 schools ranked · cheapest: Moorpark College
State median net price
$20,161
Cheapest school's price
Aid covers full cost
6
Colorado67 schools ranked · cheapest: Technical College of the Rockies
State median net price
$17,052
Cheapest school's price
$3,796
7
Connecticut49 schools ranked · cheapest: Branford Academy of Hair & Cosmetology
State median net price
$21,634
Cheapest school's price
$4,271
8
Delaware12 schools ranked · cheapest: All In The Wrist Barber Academy
State median net price
$15,644
Cheapest school's price
$4,993
9
District of Columbia11 schools ranked · cheapest: Trinity Washington University
State median net price
$29,561
Cheapest school's price
$9,302
10
Florida263 schools ranked · cheapest: North Florida College
State median net price
$19,849
Cheapest school's price
$804
11
Georgia124 schools ranked · cheapest: Atlanta Technical College
State median net price
$16,482
Cheapest school's price
Aid covers full cost
12
Hawaii18 schools ranked · cheapest: Leeward Community College
State median net price
$11,856
Cheapest school's price
$5,137
13
Idaho29 schools ranked · cheapest: College of Southern Idaho
State median net price
$18,788
Cheapest school's price
$6,095
14
Illinois178 schools ranked · cheapest: Joliet Junior College
State median net price
$15,405
Cheapest school's price
$1,672
15
Indiana94 schools ranked · cheapest: Taylor Institute of Cosmetology II
State median net price
$19,463
Cheapest school's price
$3,781
16
Iowa68 schools ranked · cheapest: La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology
State median net price
$17,813
Cheapest school's price
$4,522
17
Kansas72 schools ranked · cheapest: Haskell Indian Nations University
State median net price
$15,313
Cheapest school's price
$3,134
18
Kentucky79 schools ranked · cheapest: Hazard Community and Technical College
State median net price
$16,512
Cheapest school's price
$2,955
19
Louisiana96 schools ranked · cheapest: Infinity College
State median net price
$15,635
Cheapest school's price
$230
20
Maine31 schools ranked · cheapest: Kennebec Valley Community College
State median net price
$17,510
Cheapest school's price
$3,910
21
Maryland67 schools ranked · cheapest: Carroll Community College
State median net price
$17,140
Cheapest school's price
$2,725
22
Massachusetts117 schools ranked · cheapest: Middlesex Community College
State median net price
$24,402
Cheapest school's price
$2,624
23
Michigan138 schools ranked · cheapest: Henry Ford College
State median net price
$17,263
Cheapest school's price
$660
24
Minnesota80 schools ranked · cheapest: White Earth Tribal and Community College
State median net price
$16,863
Cheapest school's price
$1,811
25
Mississippi49 schools ranked · cheapest: Coahoma Community College
State median net price
$13,265
Cheapest school's price
Aid covers full cost
26
Missouri116 schools ranked · cheapest: Kirksville Area Technical Center
State median net price
$17,613
Cheapest school's price
$1,699
27
Montana26 schools ranked · cheapest: Fort Peck Community College
State median net price
$14,010
Cheapest school's price
$400
28
Nebraska35 schools ranked · cheapest: Metropolitan Community College Area
State median net price
$16,590
Cheapest school's price
$4,982
29
Nevada30 schools ranked · cheapest: College of Southern Nevada
State median net price
$22,990
Cheapest school's price
$6,615
30
New Hampshire25 schools ranked · cheapest: Empire Beauty School-Somersworth
State median net price
$18,489
Cheapest school's price
$9,170
31
New Jersey129 schools ranked · cheapest: Middlesex College
State median net price
$18,173
Cheapest school's price
$2,288
32
New Mexico39 schools ranked · cheapest: New Mexico State University-Grants
State median net price
$8,889
Cheapest school's price
$68
33
New York326 schools ranked · cheapest: Talmudical Seminary of Bobov
State median net price
$17,940
Cheapest school's price
$2,840
34
North Carolina145 schools ranked · cheapest: Wilkes Community College
State median net price
$14,086
Cheapest school's price
Aid covers full cost
35
North Dakota24 schools ranked · cheapest: Turtle Mountain Community College
State median net price
$12,773
Cheapest school's price
$3,428
36
Ohio228 schools ranked · cheapest: Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving Academy
State median net price
$17,989
Cheapest school's price
$1,889
37
Oklahoma84 schools ranked · cheapest: Western Technology Center
State median net price
$12,710
Cheapest school's price
Aid covers full cost
38
Oregon54 schools ranked · cheapest: Tillamook Bay Community College
State median net price
$16,732
Cheapest school's price
$5,405
39
Pennsylvania261 schools ranked · cheapest: Williamson College of the Trades
State median net price
$19,954
Cheapest school's price
$1,545
40
Rhode Island19 schools ranked · cheapest: Community College of Rhode Island
State median net price
$25,666
Cheapest school's price
$6,513
41
South Carolina81 schools ranked · cheapest: Trident Technical College
State median net price
$16,525
Cheapest school's price
$1,406
42
South Dakota20 schools ranked · cheapest: Oglala Lakota College
State median net price
$18,146
Cheapest school's price
$1,895
43
Tennessee124 schools ranked · cheapest: Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump
State median net price
$15,269
Cheapest school's price
Aid covers full cost
44
Texas337 schools ranked · cheapest: College of Biblical Studies-Houston
State median net price
$18,267
Cheapest school's price
$672
45
Utah45 schools ranked · cheapest: Bridgerland Technical College
State median net price
$18,659
Cheapest school's price
$2,338
46
Vermont11 schools ranked · cheapest: Community College of Vermont
State median net price
$25,239
Cheapest school's price
$13,696
47
Virginia107 schools ranked · cheapest: Virginia Beach City Public Schools School of Practical Nursing
State median net price
$19,096
Cheapest school's price
$1,317
48
Washington83 schools ranked · cheapest: Northwest Indian College
State median net price
$14,091
Cheapest school's price
$3,136
49
West Virginia60 schools ranked · cheapest: Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center
State median net price
$9,988
Cheapest school's price
Aid covers full cost
50
Wisconsin71 schools ranked · cheapest: Nicolet Area Technical College
State median net price
$16,210
Cheapest school's price
$8,255
51
Wyoming10 schools ranked · cheapest: Eastern Wyoming College
State median net price
$9,593
Cheapest school's price
$4,764
#StateState median net priceCheapest school's price
1Alabama65 schools ranked · cheapest: George C Wallace Community College-Dothan$15,25848% of the leader · rank #1$1,170
2Alaska10 schools ranked · cheapest: Ilisagvik College$15,30148% of the leader · rank #2$6,743
3Arizona81 schools ranked · cheapest: Pima Community College$20,83430% of the leader · rank #3$3,405
4Arkansas69 schools ranked · cheapest: Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas$14,06052% of the leader · rank #4$4,385
5California492 schools ranked · cheapest: Moorpark College$20,16132% of the leader · rank #5Aid covers full cost
6Colorado67 schools ranked · cheapest: Technical College of the Rockies$17,05242% of the leader · rank #6$3,796
7Connecticut49 schools ranked · cheapest: Branford Academy of Hair & Cosmetology$21,63427% of the leader · rank #7$4,271
8Delaware12 schools ranked · cheapest: All In The Wrist Barber Academy$15,64447% of the leader · rank #8$4,993
9District of Columbia11 schools ranked · cheapest: Trinity Washington University$29,5614% of the leader · rank #9$9,302
10Florida263 schools ranked · cheapest: North Florida College$19,84933% of the leader · rank #10$804
11Georgia124 schools ranked · cheapest: Atlanta Technical College$16,48244% of the leader · rank #11Aid covers full cost
12Hawaii18 schools ranked · cheapest: Leeward Community College$11,85660% of the leader · rank #12$5,137
13Idaho29 schools ranked · cheapest: College of Southern Idaho$18,78836% of the leader · rank #13$6,095
14Illinois178 schools ranked · cheapest: Joliet Junior College$15,40548% of the leader · rank #14$1,672
15Indiana94 schools ranked · cheapest: Taylor Institute of Cosmetology II$19,46334% of the leader · rank #15$3,781
16Iowa68 schools ranked · cheapest: La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology$17,81340% of the leader · rank #16$4,522
17Kansas72 schools ranked · cheapest: Haskell Indian Nations University$15,31348% of the leader · rank #17$3,134
18Kentucky79 schools ranked · cheapest: Hazard Community and Technical College$16,51244% of the leader · rank #18$2,955
19Louisiana96 schools ranked · cheapest: Infinity College$15,63547% of the leader · rank #19$230
20Maine31 schools ranked · cheapest: Kennebec Valley Community College$17,51041% of the leader · rank #20$3,910
21Maryland67 schools ranked · cheapest: Carroll Community College$17,14042% of the leader · rank #21$2,725
22Massachusetts117 schools ranked · cheapest: Middlesex Community College$24,40217% of the leader · rank #22$2,624
23Michigan138 schools ranked · cheapest: Henry Ford College$17,26342% of the leader · rank #23$660
24Minnesota80 schools ranked · cheapest: White Earth Tribal and Community College$16,86343% of the leader · rank #24$1,811
25Mississippi49 schools ranked · cheapest: Coahoma Community College$13,26555% of the leader · rank #25Aid covers full cost
26Missouri116 schools ranked · cheapest: Kirksville Area Technical Center$17,61340% of the leader · rank #26$1,699
27Montana26 schools ranked · cheapest: Fort Peck Community College$14,01053% of the leader · rank #27$400
28Nebraska35 schools ranked · cheapest: Metropolitan Community College Area$16,59044% of the leader · rank #28$4,982
29Nevada30 schools ranked · cheapest: College of Southern Nevada$22,99022% of the leader · rank #29$6,615
30New Hampshire25 schools ranked · cheapest: Empire Beauty School-Somersworth$18,48937% of the leader · rank #30$9,170
31New Jersey129 schools ranked · cheapest: Middlesex College$18,17339% of the leader · rank #31$2,288
32New Mexico39 schools ranked · cheapest: New Mexico State University-Grants$8,88970% of the leader · rank #32$68
33New York326 schools ranked · cheapest: Talmudical Seminary of Bobov$17,94039% of the leader · rank #33$2,840
34North Carolina145 schools ranked · cheapest: Wilkes Community College$14,08652% of the leader · rank #34Aid covers full cost
35North Dakota24 schools ranked · cheapest: Turtle Mountain Community College$12,77357% of the leader · rank #35$3,428
36Ohio228 schools ranked · cheapest: Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving Academy$17,98939% of the leader · rank #36$1,889
37Oklahoma84 schools ranked · cheapest: Western Technology Center$12,71057% of the leader · rank #37Aid covers full cost
38Oregon54 schools ranked · cheapest: Tillamook Bay Community College$16,73243% of the leader · rank #38$5,405
39Pennsylvania261 schools ranked · cheapest: Williamson College of the Trades$19,95432% of the leader · rank #39$1,545
40Rhode Island19 schools ranked · cheapest: Community College of Rhode Island$25,66613% of the leader · rank #40$6,513
41South Carolina81 schools ranked · cheapest: Trident Technical College$16,52544% of the leader · rank #41$1,406
42South Dakota20 schools ranked · cheapest: Oglala Lakota College$18,14639% of the leader · rank #42$1,895
43Tennessee124 schools ranked · cheapest: Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump$15,26948% of the leader · rank #43Aid covers full cost
44Texas337 schools ranked · cheapest: College of Biblical Studies-Houston$18,26738% of the leader · rank #44$672
45Utah45 schools ranked · cheapest: Bridgerland Technical College$18,65937% of the leader · rank #45$2,338
46Vermont11 schools ranked · cheapest: Community College of Vermont$25,23915% of the leader · rank #46$13,696
47Virginia107 schools ranked · cheapest: Virginia Beach City Public Schools School of Practical Nursing$19,09635% of the leader · rank #47$1,317
48Washington83 schools ranked · cheapest: Northwest Indian College$14,09152% of the leader · rank #48$3,136
49West Virginia60 schools ranked · cheapest: Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center$9,98866% of the leader · rank #49Aid covers full cost
50Wisconsin71 schools ranked · cheapest: Nicolet Area Technical College$16,21045% of the leader · rank #50$8,255
51Wyoming10 schools ranked · cheapest: Eastern Wyoming College$9,59368% of the leader · rank #51$4,764

Best-value colleges (earnings vs. cost) →

Ranked by graduate earnings relative to net price and debt, not price alone.

Find your school's in-state rank →

See any school's net-price rank among in-state peers and its four nearest-cost comparisons.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. State median is the middle value among that state's ranked schools, so a single very cheap or very expensive outlier cannot skew the state-level comparison. Only states and DC with at least 10 net-price-reporting institutions get a dedicated ranking page; territories are covered in the campus-safety state comparison but not in this cost ranking.

A few states show "Aid covers full cost" for their cheapest school instead of a dollar figure. This reflects real federal data, not a display error, see that state's page for the explanation.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

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