Going Out of State Doesn't Have to Break the Bank

If you live in California, you know the benefits of attending one of the colleges in the UC or Cal State systems.   The costs are generally lower than private institutions or state schools outside of California. 

But what if your student has her heart set on a state school outside of California?  The out-of-state tuition rates for such schools could put them out of reach for many families.

Before throwing in the towel, you might want to learn about WUE (pronounced woowee) – the Western Undergraduate Exchange.  Sponsored by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, WUE gives students in a select group of states the chance to pay 150% of in state tuition rather than the much higher, out-of-state rate.

There are 150 Colleges participating in WUE located in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming,  and the U.S. Pacific territories and freely associated states.

Here’s an example for a California resident who wishes to go to University of Colorado, Denver:

Resident tuition:                                                $10,380

Nonresident tuition:                                          $24, 940

WUE rate:                                                         $15,570

Savings:                                                            $ 9,370

Important: The rates shown are taken from WICHE's Annual Tuition and Fees Report for AY2013 - 14 and do not include fees. Actual tuition rates may vary. These rates assume 30 credit hours per year. We strongly encourage you to verify these rates with the admissions office where you want to enroll.

For more information on WUE, go to:   http://wiche.edu/wue