If picking a college comes down to the financial bottom line, then an in-state public school can look like a particularly good deal. "In-state tuition is half to two-thirds lower than out-of-state," said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz and author of "How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid." These days, that goes a long way as students and their families grow increasingly wary of the cost of a degree and hefty student loan debt that often comes with it. More from Personal Finance:How to decide if you should go back to schoolMore middle-class Americans struggle to make ends meetBiden’s student loan forgiveness plan heads to Supreme CourtTuition and fees plus room and board for students at four-year private colleges averaged $53,430 in the 2022-23 school year, according to the College Board. In comparison, in-state students at four-year public college paid $23,250, on average; for out-of-state students, it was $40,550Over the last decade, tuition and fees actually fell by 1% at public four-year institutions while rising by 6% at private, four-year schools, the College Board found.

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