The U.S. News Short List, separate from our overall rankings, is a regular series that magnifies individual data points in hopes of providing students and parents a way to find which undergraduate or graduate programs excel or have room to grow in specific areas. Be sure to explore The Short List: College and The Short List: Grad School to find data that matters to you in your college or grad school search.
Faced with funding cuts and budget shortfalls, some public universities are ramping up recruitment of out-of-state students.
The University of California system enrolled almost 62 percent more out-of-state students in the 2011 freshman class than the 2010 class, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, and the number of non-Texan undergraduates admitted to Texas Tech University increased 165 percent between 2006 and 2010, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
The reason for the push is clear: On average, tuition and fees for students crossing state lines is more than double that of their in-state peers.
[See the 10 least expensive public schools for out-of-state students.]
Of the 414 ranked public colleges and universities that submitted 2011-2012 tuition and fees data to U.S. News, in an annual survey of undergraduate programs, the average cost of out-of-state tuition and fees was $17,785—compared to an average of $7,635 for in-state students. (An additional 94 public colleges and universities did not report tuition data.)
While the added revenue is attractive to universities, building a diverse student body can create a vibrant culture on campus, adding to the learning experience. Students hoping to spread their wings and land on a campus outside their home state should pay attention to the price tag.
[Learn about scholarships and other tips to pay for college.]
Tuition and fees at the 10 most expensive public schools for out-of-state students averaged $35,567 for 2011-2012. The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor tops the list with tuition and fees ringing in at $37,265. Rounding out the list of most expensive public schools for nonresident students are seven schools from the University of California system and two Virginia schools.
All of the schools on the list are National Universities, a U.S. News ranking category that encompasses large research institutions. Schools designated by U.S. News as Unranked were excluded from this list. U.S. News did not calculate a numerical ranking for Unranked programs because the program did not meet certain criteria that U.S. News requires to be numerically ranked.
Below is the list of the 10 most expensive public schools for out-of-state students based on tuition and required fees (figures do not include room and board, books, and other miscellaneous costs):
| School name (state) | Tuition & fees (2011-2012) | U.S. News rank & category |
|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan—Ann Arbor | $37,265 | 28, National Universities |
| University of Virginia | $36,570 | 25, National Universities |
| University of California—Irvine | $35,780 | 45, National Universities |
| University of California—Davis | $35,672 | 38, National Universities |
| College of William and Mary (VA) | $35,409 | 33, National Universities |
| University of California—Santa Barbara | $35,386 | 42, National Universities |
| University of California—Santa Cruz | $35,211 | 75, National Universities |
| University of California—San Diego | $35,006 | 37, National Universities |
| University of California—Riverside | $34,729 | 97, National Universities |
| University of California—Berkeley | $34,645 | 21, National Universities |
Don't see your school in the top 10? Access the U.S. News College Compass to find information about financial aid and scholarships, as well as complete rankings and much more.
U.S. News surveyed more than 1,800 colleges and universities for our 2011 survey of undergraduate programs. Schools self-reported a myriad of data regarding their academic programs and the makeup of their student body, among other areas, making U.S. News's data the most accurate and detailed collection of college facts and figures of its kind. While the data comes from the schools themselves, these lists have no influence over U.S. News's rankings of Best Colleges or Best Graduate Schools.
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Public School of TX 7:22AM July 31, 2012