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Mapped: The Cost of College Across U.S. States in 2025
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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.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out From Harvard to Stanford: The True Cost of the Top 10 Colleges on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.