Top 10 Costliest US Public Colleges for Out-Of-State Students

By Stephen Adkins

Despite their reputation as a world class university, certain higher education institutions across the U.S. run the risk of losing potential non-native students, both domestic and international, due to soaring tuition costs.

Although the University of Michigan and University of Virginia are considered to be the best public universities in the country offering first-rate education, students crossing the state lines must pay a huge price to avail the benefits.

According to data analyzed by U.S. News in an annual survey, Michigan is the most expensive public school for out-of-state students with $39,000 tuition proposed for the 2012-13 academic year, while Virginia secured the second spot with tuition and fees over $38,000 for non-resident undergrads.

Recently, the University of Michigan’s governing board increased tuition for out-of-state students by 3.2 percent.

The subsequent priciest public schools for non-natives are the University of California-Davis, College of William and Mary, UC-Santa Barbara and UC-Los Angeles.

The average tuition and fees for out-of-state students was reported to be nearly $36,500 for the academic year, 2012-13. This is an increase of $1,000 from the previous year. In comparison, non-resident tuition averaged roughly $19,100 nationwide.

According to experts, interested students are not bothered with the frequent tuition hikes. This can be good news for most of the public universities across the country as they heavily depend on tuition dollars from non-natives to overcome deficits and state budget cuts.

The University of California school system experienced a 13 percent growth in international undergraduate enrolment last fall, up from a historical average of 3 to 5 percent.

“This has been a big boost for the UC’s coffers, as international students pay nearly three times as much in tuition as Californians,” the university officials said.

Below is the list of top 10 most expensive public schools for out-of-state students. The tuition does not cover room, books, transportation or other costs.

University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) – $39,109

University of Virginia – $38,018

University of California (Davis) – $36,755

College of William and Mary (VA) – $36,753

University of California (Santa Barbara) – $36,549

University of California (Santa Cruz) – $36,294

University of California (Riverside) – $35,801

University of Vermont – $35,582

University of California (Los Angeles) – $35,570

Virginia Military Institute – $33,811

[Source]: University Herald