A significant amount of time and money is required to earn a college degree. According to the College Board, in the 2013-2014 school year, the average cost of tuition and fees were the following:
- $8,893 at public colleges for state residents
- $30,094 at private colleges
- $22,204 at public colleges for out-of-state residents
The primary reason people invest in college education is, obviously, the expected return. According to a recent study, the median lifetime earnings that bachelor’s degree holders can expect are nearly $2.5 million. That is twice as much as the expected lifetime earnings of high school diploma holders. It is quite evident that college-education investment will pay off in the long term.
However, how much return you get depends on how smart you were when making the investment. You can expect significant return on your college-education investment if you choose an affordable college with quality education programs. Today, the national student loan debt equals $1 trillion and this number is increasing each day. However, there are still many prospective students looking for affordable postsecondary education. If you’re one of them then here is a list of the most affordable colleges in the United States.
University of Virginia
Arguably the best college when it comes to quality-affordable education, University of Virginia has a $36,960 four-year tuition fee. The average return on investment for UOV graduates over a period of thirty years is over $600,000.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Ranked among the best public universities in the United States, Georgia Institute of Technology has a $26,704 four-year tuition fee. The average ROI graduates of Georgia Institute of Technology can expect over a thirty-year period is over $800,000.
Arizona State University
Although the ROI of Arizona State University isn’t as high as that of UOV and GIT, it still offers quality-affordable education. Over a four-year period, students need to pay only $9,208 tuition fee.
State University of New York-SUNY Maritime College
A public college, SUNY Maritime College offers quality education at an extremely affordable price. Specifically speaking, the college charges a mere $22000 four-year tuition fee. I call the tuition fee mere because the average return on investment graduates of SUNY Maritime College can expect over a thirty-year period is more than $1 million.
There you have—the four most affordable colleges in the United States with quality education programs. If you seek quality-affordable college education in the U.S then applying to the aforementioned colleges is a must.