N.C. State is recognized for its affordable value for both in-state and out-of-state students, according to a recent study published in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance,
The list consisted of 100 public universities, which it ranked according to the best value they provide for in-state and out-of-state students.
The rankings of the list were determined by admission rates, four-year graduation rate, average debt at graduation and net cost.
N.C. State placed 16th in the nation for in-state students and 15th for out-of-state students.
The average cost of attending N.C. State is $9,338 for in-state students and $22,793 for out-of state students.
Krista Domnick, the director of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at N.C. State, said her department assists the university by taking into consideration the financial needs of students.
“The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid ensures that the university community is aware of the financial needs of students when considering increases in tuition and fees,” Domnick said.
Domnick also said tuition increases do occur, but that the state government does what it can to help keep costs down for students.
“The public institutions of North Carolina are required by the General Assembly to keep tuition expenses as low as practically possible for residents of the state,” Domnick said.
In addition, Domnick said by keeping tuition at an affordable rate, N.C. State will continue to remain an institution that is accessible to students regardless of their socioeconomic status.
According to Domnick, for the 2012-13 academic year, 68 percent of undergraduate students applied for financial aid and 52 percent of them demonstrated financial need.
Domnick said that last year undergraduates had received an average of approximately $8,672 in scholarships and grants, while the average loan amount per student was $5,118
The average overall student loan debt for graduating seniors from N.C. State was $23,697, which is below the national average, Domnick said.
Domnick said she provides information regarding the impact of expected costs to various committees.
“The Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid serves on the university’s Tuition Review Advisory Committee and the Fee Review Advisory Committee to provide information to committee members demonstrating the expected impact of increased costs,” Domnick said.
Reema Thakkar, a freshman in mathematics who moved to North Carolina from New Jersey, said one of the reasons that she decided to attend N.C. State was its reasonable tuition costs.
“When I decided to go to State, I knew it was a good school and had good programs academically, but then I also found out that the cost of attending was reasonable, which only reaffirmed my decision,” Thakkar said.
