Admissions & Scholarships
Why A-State in Arkansas Costs Less Than the Coasts
Public university tuition is set state by state, and local cost of living drives most of the total bill. Here is how that math works out for A-State in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Parents researching study-in-the-USA options often ask which state has "cheap" tuition or a lower overall cost. There is no single answer, because public universities in the United States set their own tuition state by state, and the real driver of a family's total spending is usually the cost of living in the city where a student actually lives. Arkansas State University (A-State), located in Jonesboro, Arkansas, is a concrete example that helps illustrate how this works.
Why public university tuition varies by state
There is no nationwide tuition rate in the United States. Each state funds and governs its own public university system, so tuition - including rates for international students - differs from state to state and school to school. At A-State, for the 2026-27 academic year, international undergraduate tuition is $649 per credit hour (which includes a $23 athletic fee), plus a college fee of $27-55 per credit hour depending on the program. Graduate tuition is $777 per credit hour. These figures are specific to A-State; rates at other universities or states may differ, and families should compare official figures directly.
Jonesboro's cost of living: the bigger factor in your total budget
Jonesboro has a population of about 80,650, making it the fifth-largest city in Arkansas, with two hospitals serving residents and students. Jonesboro's cost-of-living index is 86.9, below the national average benchmark of 100. That index reflects local housing, groceries, transportation and other everyday expenses. In practice, day-to-day living costs usually affect a family's total study-abroad budget more than tuition differences between schools, because rent, food and transportation are recurring monthly costs throughout a student's time in the program.
Estimating one year at A-State
Below is an illustrative example for an undergraduate student taking 12 credit hours per semester, based on published 2026-27 rates. This is an estimate, not a final bill, since housing choice, insurance and credit load all affect the total.
| Item | Estimated cost (USD/year) |
|---|---|
| Tuition and college fees (12 credits/semester) | Included in total below |
| Room and board | ≈ 12,220 |
| Mandatory health insurance | ≈ 1,100 |
| Estimated total (12 credits/semester) | ≈ 29,646 |
| Estimated total at 15 credits/semester | ≈ 33,540 |
| Estimated graduate total (9 credits/semester) | ≈ 28,976 |
Families should also budget for one-time costs at enrollment: a $50 application fee, a $350 international deposit, a $280 health screening and a $100 housing deposit. Scholarships can help offset these costs: the International Freshman Scholarship offers $3,000 per year (GPA 3.25 required). ACT/SAT-based packages ($2,000–$6,000 a year for 2027–28) have their own conditions and must be confirmed for each international student. Full scholarship details and a cost-of-attendance tool are available on the scholarships page and the cost of attendance page.
Lower cost of living does not mean isolated
A common concern is whether a city with a lower cost of living is also remote or hard to get around. In practice, Jonesboro sits at a reasonably convenient point in the region: about 1 hour by car from Memphis, about 2 hours from Little Rock, and about 4 hours from Nashville or St. Louis. Memphis International Airport (MEM) is roughly 80 miles away (about 1.5 hours), and A-State runs a semester shuttle to that airport (sign up through oips@astate.edu); Little Rock's airport (LIT) is about 131 miles away. That means family visits, school breaks and trips to nearby cities are all workable, even with a lower day-to-day cost of living in Jonesboro itself. You can read more about the city on the Jonesboro page and about getting to campus on the getting here page.
What parents should keep in mind when budgeting
Tuition, fees, housing rates and exchange rates can all change from year to year and are not guaranteed to stay fixed. Before finalizing a family budget, confirm the most current figures and calculate costs based on your student's specific program and housing choice. The Vietnam Office can help build a personalized estimate, including items not covered here, such as the exact financial documentation amount required for the I-20.
Contact International Admissions for a personalized estimate
If you would like a detailed cost breakdown based on your student's program and housing preference, or need to confirm current figures before applying for Spring 2027, Summer 2027 or Fall 2027, contact the Arkansas State University Vietnam Office at study@astate.edu.vn or hotline 097 586 1994. You can also reach out through the contact page for direct assistance.
Photo by Land O'Lakes, Inc. on Unsplash
