10 Best Values in Public Colleges for Out-of-State Students, 2013

Public colleges continue to face challenges despite the improving economy.

Education costs
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Public colleges continue to face challenges despite the improving economy. With cuts in state appropriations, colleges have increased class sizes, curtailed programs and asked out-of-staters to pay a bigger part of the tab. A 4.1% increase over last year brings the average annual sticker price for nonresidents to $30,911, according to the College Board.

Still, that cost is considerably lower than the average price for a private education ($39,518) and much less than the annual $50,000-plus that elite private institutions charge. Many public colleges also offer significant financial aid to out-of-state students.

These ten institutions, which appear on Kiplinger\'s list of the 100 best values in public colleges, represent the schools that provide academic quality at a manageable price -- sometimes with generous financial aid -- even for out-of-state students.

Marc A. Wojno
Contributing Writer, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Wojno was formerly research director for data-intensive projects such as Kiplinger's college and mutual fund rankings. He has worked as a newswire reporter and newsletter editor for Dow Jones, covering convertible bonds, REITs and mutual funds. He also served as market research manager for Keane Federal Systems, an IT consultancy. He received a BA in communications and computer science as well as a MBA from George Washington University.