8 Ways to Get In-State Tuition at an Out-of-State School - Earnest | Earnest

8 ways to get in-state tuition at an out-of-state school

By Sarah Netter | Published on October 21, 2025

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Prospective college students looking to score in-state tuition at an out-of-state school are having to get more creative than ever.

Gone are the days when you could use a grandparent’s address or move to the school’s state prior to enrollment to take advantage of much lower in-state tuition. Most state schools have tightly closed residency loopholes, leading out-of-state residents to pay top dollar to attend.

According to data from U.S. News and World Report, the current average cost of tuition and fees at a public four-year college is about $10,662 per year for an in-state student. Out-of-state students, on the other hand, pay more than double on average — a whopping $23,630 per year.

Of course, those numbers can also vary by state. Some state schools provide affordable out-of-state tuition, while out-of-state students in the District of Columbia tend to pay about twice as much as local students.

But there might be ways to score in-state tuition cost to an out-of-state school that can save you tens of thousands of dollars in college tuition.

1. Have a parent living in that state

Family connections used to be the go-to way to qualify for the in-state rate on tuition, whether it was a grandparent, cousin, aunt, or uncle. But now there’s really only one way to take advantage of your family’s address for residency requirements — a parent living in the same state as the school you’d like to attend. To establish domicile in that state, they’ll have to have a government document — like a driver’s license, voter registration, or income tax return — proving their residency status.

You also can’t move “in-state” and claim residency for a public college if you are a dependent student. In other words, if your parents declare you as a dependent on their taxes and reside out-of-state, you likely won’t qualify.

The Department of Education has ruled that to meet the domicile eligibility requirements, you have to be fully independent to be able to claim an in-state residency when moving to that state. And that threshold is typically age 24 or in graduate school. Most schools now have in-state tuition requirements listed on their websites.

2. Take advantage of reciprocity agreements

Some schools allow out-of-state residents to get in-state tuition if they’re from a neighboring state. This is what’s known as a “reciprocity agreement.” Reciprocity agreements usually involve a network of schools that offer in-state tuition to students when certain qualifying conditions are met.

For example, the state of Virginia participates in an educational agreement between states called the Academic Common Market, which is comprised of 15 states primarily in the southeast.

Under this reciprocity agreement, a Virginia student can attend an out-of-state school and apply for in-state tuition at any of the state schools in the market as long as their major is not available in their home state.

So while reciprocity agreements are unlikely to get you in-state tuition for an education or accounting degree, you will have better luck if you are aiming for a specialized major such as marine biology.

There are three other undergraduate reciprocity agreement markets in addition to the Academic Common Market that serve different areas of the country. They are:

There are also a number of regional reciprocity agreements that apply to graduate students. The Regional Contract Program, for example, offers in-state tuition to students pursuing advanced degrees in the health professions across seven southern states. Out West, the Western Graduate Exchange serves 14 Western states, and the Professional Student Exchange Program offers significantly discounted tuition to students seeking professional degrees across 11 states (Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming).

Some areas or schools also have individual reciprocity agreements with each other to reduce tuition rates. The University of Arkansas, for example, offers a scholarship award specifically for students from nearby states.

3. Find great schools with wider range of in-state tuition exceptions

There are many public universities across the country that are more likely to offer in-state tuition to certain students to boost their own statistics so they can say, for example, that they have students from all 50 states.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, an undergrad’s average annual tuition in New York, North Dakota, and South Dakota tends to be lower for out-of-state students than for in-state students. This could indicate a higher prevalence of tuition programs that favor nonresidents in these three states.

This can also work to your advantage if you have certain stand-out academic or sports achievements that a school may be looking for.

The University of Oklahoma, for example, offers extremely deep discounts for national merit scholar finalists, even those from out of state. And Arizona State University funds a number of high-dollar scholarships for nonresidents, which could help bring a nonresident student’s tuition down to in-state levels.

4. Be flexible and consider your home state options

Many undergraduate students and their parents come in with their minds set on a particular school or strong opinions on public versus private schools.

But you can save more money on college costs and have a better experience by considering all of your options and different states—including community colleges, smaller schools, or universities. A big part of the decision is choosing what you want to study.

If your major is offered at most colleges and universities you should definitely be looking at in-state options.

If they have their heart set on an out-of-state school and are planning on getting a graduate degree, consider going to an in-state school for undergrad to save money and then apply to your dream college for grad school.

5. Take advantage of legacy admissions

If you had a parent or grandparent attend a college or university you’re interested in, you could qualify for a legacy scholarship. In some cases, colleges will waive the out-of-state fee for legacy students. Others offer steep discounts. Florida State University, for example, gives more than $1,700 to each legacy scholarship winner. And the University of Nebraska offers legacy students up to $14,000 per year to put toward tuition and fees.

Keep in mind that more and more schools are discontinuing legacy admissions in an effort to even the playing field for first-generation college students and applicants from varied backgrounds. So, it’s worth double-checking your dream school’s policy before you apply. Admissions counseling company College Transitions publishes a full list of schools that offer legacy admissions, which can be a great place to start.

6. Hunt for merit discounts

Many schools will offer merit discounts to out-of-state students with top grades. Better yet, some public institutions have some serious cash reserves set aside for this kind of aid. According to U.S. News and World Report, at both Purchase College – SUNY and California State University – Fresno, 100 percent of out-of-state students received some kind of merit-based aid in 2021. At Mississippi State University, Winthrop University, and the New College of Florida, the average out-of-state student was awarded more than $15,000 in merit-based aid. So if you have good grades or test scores, this could be a legitimate option.

One of the best ways to be considered for merit-based awards is to enter the National Merit Scholarship program. Once you opt-in, this program automatically sends your standardized test scores to schools on the lookout for top academic performers. You can also score merit aid based on a top-class rank or high GPA. Just keep in mind that you may need to apply for these on your own.

7. Get rewarded for military service

Many schools will offer in-state tuition rates to various military and veterans groups. Colorado State University, for example, extends in-state tuition to all active-duty military stationed in Colorado, regardless of how long they’ve lived in the state. Other schools may waive your tuition or offer a steep discount if you belong to — or pledge service to — a certain branch of the military. If military service aligns with your values, consider applying for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships — which can be applied to tuition at more than 1,000 schools.

8. Go to a no-loan school

If you don’t qualify for special tuition waivers or in-state tuition exceptions, consider applying to no-loan schools. No-loan schools describe a small but growing category of colleges that pledge to ensure all their students graduate debt-free. They do this by piecing together a patchwork of federal aid, work-study, and institutional aid to make sure you never have to take on additional loans — no matter what state you call home. Here are just a few of the schools that have adopted this policy:

Right now, only top universities with large endowments can afford to cover all their students’ tuition — which is why you only see private universities on the list above. Also keep in mind that while some no-loan schools (like those listed above) have blanket policies, most schools with no-loan offerings reserve this promise for certain types of students. So, you may be more likely to qualify if you come from a low-income family or a traditionally disadvantaged background.

Learn more about Earnest student loans

Amid the rising cost of college, some schools are offering nonresident students more pathways to in-state tuition. And that’s a good thing—because if you qualify for a resident tuition exception, you could save tens of thousands of dollars on your out-of-state college education.

Of course, securing that elusive in-state tuition eligibility isn’t the only piece of the funding puzzle. Even in-state students still typically rely on a combination of family savings, federal loans, and private loans¹ to fill in the gaps. If you’ve tapped out federal financial aid and scholarships, you could consider a private student loan from Earnest. We never charge origination fees or prepayment penalties, and we let you choose an interest rate type and repayment schedule that fits your needs. You can check your eligibility to see if Earnest is right for you and it won’t impact your credit score.