The States Where a College Education Puts the Biggest Strain on Family Budgets

A year of college costs nearly as much as an entire year of median household income in Rhode Island, while Utah offers the lowest relative cost, according to a WalletHub study comparing undergraduate education expenses across 48 states.

The analysis found that annual college costs equal 90.20% of median household income in Rhode Island, more than three times Utah's 27.58%. Maine and Pennsylvania followed Rhode Island as the states with the highest costs relative to income, highlighting substantial differences in affordability depending on where students attend school.

WalletHub examined the cost of attendance for full-time, in-state undergraduate students living on campus, including tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies and other expenses. It then compared those figures with each state's median annual household income.

The ranking measures costs relative to income, rather than tuition alone. Its percentages also do not represent the share of income families actually spend, since students may use scholarships, grants, savings or loans to cover their bills.

"College education is getting more and more difficult to afford, with cost increases well outpacing inflation," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in comments accompanying the study. "As a result, people have been forced to take out more and more loans, with the average student loan debt now standing at nearly $44,000."

In Rhode Island, WalletHub put the average annual cost of undergraduate attendance at $79,194, compared with median household income of $87,796. The resulting ratio placed the state well above the rest of the field.

Maine ranked second, with annual college expenses averaging $59,929 against median household income of $74,733. That translates to 80.19% of household income. Pennsylvania finished third at 73.74%, with average annual attendance costs of $57,498 and median household income of $77,971.

New York and Connecticut rounded out the five most expensive states relative to income, at 71.57% and 69.64%, respectively. Massachusetts, Vermont, Illinois, Ohio and Missouri completed the top 10.

The Northeast accounted for seven of the 10 highest-cost states in the comparison. Across the full ranking, 21 states had annual attendance costs exceeding half their median household income.

At the other end, Utah's 27.58% ratio was more than eight percentage points below the next-lowest state, Hawaii, at 35.87%. Nevada followed closely at 35.88%, with South Dakota at 36.66% and North Dakota at 36.98%.

Maryland, Kansas, Idaho, Delaware and Virginia also ranked among the 10 states with the lowest college costs relative to income. Florida placed 28th, with annual attendance costs equivalent to 46.84% of median household income. Texas ranked 34th at 43.79%, while California placed 17th at 53.37%.

The difference between Rhode Island and Utah amounted to 62.62 percentage points, illustrating how sharply the relationship between college prices and household resources varies across state lines.

"The good news is that living in certain states and attending a school with in-state tuition can greatly defray the cost of undergraduate education, minimizing the amount students need to borrow," Lupo said.

WalletHub identified attending an in-state public school, applying for scholarships and grants, buying used textbooks and budgeting carefully as ways to reduce expenses. It also suggested student employment to help cover regular costs and preparing meals when living arrangements allow.

Those strategies address different portions of the college bill, from tuition to everyday spending. Scholarships and grants can reduce the amount students must finance, while earnings and savings can help meet remaining expenses.

The study used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and National Center for Education Statistics collected as of Oct. 15, 2026. Alaska and Wyoming were excluded because of data limitations.