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  • Blog > Applications, Pre-Application

Free College? It’s More Likely Than You Might Think

Picture of Madeleine Karydes

Madeleine Karydes

  • September 24, 2019

Free college? Well, for most students, college is expensive.  

Each year, the costs of attending rise, and show no signs of slowing. Between tuition, textbooks, lab materials, and room and board—”the path to a diploma exacts a large price. Yet degrees remain highly in demand. Families are asking: how can we afford it?  

Thankfully, some states have begun to address this issue with legislation. Just last week, New Mexico proposed a bill to offer free tuition for all residents regardless of income bracket. What may really surprise you, though, is that about half of the states already offer some form of free tuition for their residents! These benefits are usually reserved for in-state applicants, so it’s not a free-for-all—”but if you and your family are weighing options for how to pay for a college education, see if your state qualifies.

Ready to learn more?

We’ve compiled a list of which states offer tuition-free paths, so you don’t have to. Check out the list below and research your state’s rules. Remember, this is just a starting point: each contains different regulations, so make sure to read up on your individual situation before making a decision!

  Does your state offer some form of a tuition-free college option?

Alabama

  Yes, in limited areas.

Alaska

Not yet.

Arizona

Yes, in limited areas.

Arkansas

Yes.

California

Yes.

Colorado

Not yet.

Connecticut

Yes, in some areas.

Delaware

Yes.

Florida

Yes.

Georgia

Not yet.

Hawaii

Yes.

Idaho

Yes.

Illinois

Not yet.

Indiana

Yes.

Iowa

Not yet.

Kansas

Not yet.

Kentucky

Yes.

Louisiana

Yes.

Maine

Not yet.

Maryland

Yes.

Massachusetts

Yes, in some areas.

Michigan

Not yet.

Minnesota

Yes.

Mississippi

Not yet.

Missouri

Yes.

Montana

Yes.

Nebraska

Not yet.

Nevada

Yes.

New Hampshire

Yes, in limited areas.

New Jersey

Yes.

New Mexico

Not yet.

New York

Yes.

North Carolina

Yes.

North Dakota

Not yet.

Ohio

Not yet.

Oklahoma

Yes.

Oregon

Yes.

Pennsylvania

Yes, in limited areas.

Rhode Island

Yes.

South Carolina

Not yet.

South Dakota

Yes.

Tennessee

Yes.

Texas

Yes, in some areas.

Utah

Not yet.

Vermont

Not yet.

Virginia

Not yet.

Washington

Yes.

West Virginia

Yes.

Wisconsin

Not yet.

Wyoming

Yes.

What have you learned about financial aid and how to make the most of your state’s offerings? Let us know!

If you’d like to read more about financing your college education, make sure to check out the Financial Aid tab on the blog for more articles.  

If you’d like to learn more about how to build up the other elements of your college education, reach out to Empowerly today to learn how we help students.

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Madeleine Karydes

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