Wisconsin Makes Top 10 for Affordable Colleges: Iowa Good, Illinois Ouch!

Here's your headline: Wisconsin great, Iowa good, Illinois rough. Well, if you are dreaming of pursuing higher education without breaking the bank, that's about how you should look at it. Join me as we dive into the average in-state cost of college in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Let's start with the "bad."  In the land of Lincoln, deep-dish pizza, and bustling cities, Illinois boasts some prestigious universities, but they also come with a fairly high price tag. Ranking 9th highest in the list of analyzed states, Illinois carries an average annual cost of approximately $27,688 for in-state students.

Iowa sits right about the middle of the pack in the land of affordable education at #32. According to recent data, Iowa stands tall as one of the most budget-friendly states for in-state college students. With an average annual cost of around $20,988, the Hawkeye State offers a sweet deal for those seeking quality education without the hefty price tag. From tuition fees to room and board, Iowa proves that you really can have it all, without emptying your pockets, but is it the best locally? Not if our Northern neighbors have anything to say about it.

That's right, our cheesy list-topper is Wisconsin, which finds itself in the top 10 cheapest (#8) regarding college costs. Yes, they managed to come in 43 out of 50, with an average annual cost of about $19,092 for in-state students. The Badger State presents a very good deal for those seeking higher education. Cheaper than both Iowa and Illinois, Wisconsin strikes it better than most states for affordable education. The only Midwestern state that bested Wisconsin was South Dakota, with an average cost of $17,862 annually.

This study used the average annual cost of public four-year university programs for in-state students in the United States for the 2022-2023 school year. Data used included average tuition and required fees for each state, supplemented with the most recent available data on room and board fees for in-state students. The total cost estimate for each state's higher education was derived by averaging the costs of tuition, required fees, and room and board for one year of a four-year program. States were then ranked from most expensive to least expensive based on these total cost estimates. Data was compiled by essayservice.com. See the full list below: