Quick Answer
Midwestern public universities charged an average of $8,560 for in-state tuition back in 2013. Less than half the sticker price of a 2013 Toyota Camry L, which ran $22,235. Out-of-state students paid $22,834 on average, almost dollar-for-dollar what that Camry cost. Wisconsin Madison and Iowa gave in-state students the best deal around. Minnesota, meanwhile, was the standout pick for out-of-state affordability.
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Public universities across the Midwest were a genuine bargain in 2013. The College Board’s 2013 Trends in College Pricing report put average in-state tuition at $8,560. That’s just 38% of a new Camry L. Put another way, four years of in-state tuition still cost less than two Camrys.
Private schools told a different story. NCES figures showed the average cost at a private Midwestern university, tuition, fees, room and board combined, hit $39,261. That’s roughly 1.8 Camrys for one year of school.
Key Takeaways
- Midwestern public universities charged an average in-state tuition of $8,560 in 2013.
- Out-of-state tuition averaged $22,834, close to the MSRP of a 2013 Toyota Camry L ($22,235).
- The University of Wisconsin Madison and University of Iowa offered the best value for in-state students, charging less than $7,000.
- The University of Minnesota was notable for out-of-state affordability, with a net price of $20,440, lower than most peers.
- Private schools like Macalester College and Washington University in St. Louis offered strong financial aid, reducing net costs significantly for top students.
- Tuition growth slowed in 2013-14, with public institutions increasing fees by just 3.2%, below the 10-year average (NACUBO).
Midwestern Public Universities: Affordability and Accessibility in 2013
Thirteen states. Dozens of public flagships and regional schools. And in 2013, most of them delivered some of the cheapest four-year degrees in the country, though how cheap depended heavily on where you called home.
Michigan and Illinois kept their reputations as top-tier public schools, but the price tag split hard along residency lines. Wisconsin Madison charged in-state residents $7,470. Iowa charged its residents even less, $6,780. Both numbers sit under 30% of what a Camry cost that year.
Cross state lines, though, and the math changes fast. Minnesota billed out-of-state students $26,980, about 121% of the Camry’s MSRP. Its aid program clawed that down to a net price of $20,440, which actually held up well against UC-system pricing.
Not every state followed the same script. Purdue charged in-state students $10,040, notably higher than its neighbors. Iowa State landed at $7,080 for residents. Same region, same general mission, different funding priorities from different legislatures.
Financial Aid: Reducing Net Costs
Sticker price and actual price rarely matched. Net price, what students paid after grants and scholarships, often came in far below published tuition. At Minnesota, 68% of undergrads received grant aid, which cut average net prices by more than $6,000. The typical grant award there was $4,240.
Income-based aid models were common. A household earning under $60,000 a year could land a full-tuition grant at some schools. Federal loans carried a fixed 3.86% rate for undergrads that year, while private lenders like SoFi and Chase offered variable APRs instead.
Aid helped, but it didn’t erase the bill. Almost a quarter of undergraduates in 2013 still turned to private loans to cover the gap. Students with weaker credit paid for it, too, facing APRs above 8% from lenders such as Sallie Mae.
Private Institutions: High Costs for Academic Excellence
Private Midwestern schools ran well ahead of public prices. The average, tuition, fees, room and board included, landed at $39,261. Almost 1.8 Camrys, one school year.
Macalester College, in St. Paul, bucked the trend somewhat. Its average net price came in at $30,400, respectable for a school of its academic standing. Washington University in St. Louis charged a net price of $34,500 but dangled merit scholarships worth up to $30,000 a year for its strongest applicants.
Northwestern topped the region on sticker price, at $45,800. Yet its scholarship program covered full tuition for 12% of incoming students. For those recipients, net price dropped under $20,000, a very different number than the one printed in the brochure.
The Impact of Location on Costs
Location mattered more than people expect. Urban campuses ran up higher bills through sheer cost of living. University of Chicago charged $42,000 in tuition and fees, and rent nearby averaged $1,800 a month. Carleton College, tucked in a smaller town, kept total attendance under $39,000 after aid, largely because housing and meals cost less outside a big city.
Affordability Comparison: A Regional Breakdown
| University | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Net Price (Avg) | Financial Aid Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin Madison | $7,470 | $26,980 | $10,300 | 62% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the average cost of a 2013 Toyota Camry L?
$22,235, base model MSRP. That number works well as a yardstick for college cost comparisons.
How does in-state tuition at Midwestern public universities compare to a Camry’s cost?
Most Midwestern public schools charged under $8,000 for in-state tuition in 2013, less than 36% of a Camry’s price. Iowa students paid just $6,780. That’s cheaper than a year’s worth of Camry payments for most buyers.
Why are private Midwestern universities more expensive than public ones?
Public schools get state funding. Private ones don’t, they lean entirely on tuition dollars and endowment income. That gap shows up in the price: $39,261 on average, over 1.7 times a Camry’s cost.
Is financial aid effective at reducing net costs?
It is. Minnesota gave grant aid to 68% of its students, trimming roughly $6,000 off the average net price. Merit aid at private schools moved the needle too. Northwestern’s scholarship program, for example, pushed net prices below $20,000 for a meaningful share of recipients.
How does location affect college costs in the Midwest?
Urban schools cost more to attend, largely thanks to rent and daily living expenses. Rural campuses tend to run cheaper on housing and meals, which brings down the total bill. Carleton College is a good example: sticker price under $39,000, but the real number after aid dropped closer to $27,200.
