The numbers side by side
| Median at 4-year colleges | Public | Private nonprofit |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees (2025-26) | $10,310 in-state, $21,646 out-of-state | $37,564 |
| Cost of attendance | $25,648 | $52,192 |
| Average net price | $14,262 | $23,293 |
| Net price, family income $0 to $30,000 | $10,561 | $18,720 |
| Net price, family income over $110,000 | $21,696 | $30,076 |
| Six-year graduation rate | 52% | 58% |
| Earnings 10 years after entry | $59,509 | $59,582 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,500 | $23,250 |
Public net prices are for in-state students. Out-of-state students at public universities often pay as much as at a private college.
What the table tells you
- Sticker price misleads. Private colleges list roughly twice the cost of attendance of public ones, but the gap in net price is much smaller, because private colleges give larger grants.
- Income changes the answer. For lower-income families, the gap between public and private net prices is small, and at some private colleges with big endowments it disappears.
- Out-of-state public is often the worst deal. If you would pay out-of-state tuition, compare it carefully with private colleges that offer generous aid.
- Outcomes overlap. Medians hide a lot of variation. Plenty of public universities beat plenty of private colleges on graduation and earnings, and the reverse.
How to decide
Compare specific schools, not categories. Use our compare tool to put a public and a private option side by side, and check the net price for your income on each school's page.
Sources
- College Scorecard data, U.S. Department of Education, release of October 15, 2026
- College Scorecard data dictionary
