Best state to be a student in the USA 2022

Every year millions of young people across the United States of America pin their hopes and dreams on going to college to further their education. With so many colleges to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.

College is so much more than getting a degree, it’s about the excitement of moving out and living independently, the anticipation of the first day in the classroom, a new area to explore, and of course the lifelong friends made. To help students find the best place to study, we’ve compared the cost of:

This year we expanded our criteria to improve our rankings and make them as useful as possible for students.

California has been crowned the best state to be a student for 2022. It has the highest number of high-ranking unis and offers the best graduate salary in all the states.

You won't be short of activities to take on as there are more things to do in this state than any of the others. It's very LGBT-friendly and has a high percentage of young people so making friends should be easy. And if that wasn't enough you also get below-average tuition costs.

Taking second place is the state of New York. The home to 14 top-ranking universities, this state offers great graduate salaries and is very LGBT friendly. Whether you’re a theater lover, food connoisseur, bookworm, or history buff, New York is an amazing place to study. However, you will pay a lot to live in this states ad it has the most expensive rooms on the list.

The 10 best states to be a student in 2022

1. California

California has been crowned the best state to be a student for 2022. It has the highest number of high-ranking unis and offers the best graduate salary in all the states.

You won't be short of activities to take on as there are more things to do in this state than any of the others. It's very LGBT-friendly and has a high percentage of young people so making friends should be easy. And if that wasn't enough you also get below-average tuition costs.

• Avg cost of tuition: $8,192
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 9.6%
• Top colleges in the state: 15

2. New York

Taking second place is the state of New York. The home to 14 top-ranking universities, this state offers great graduate salaries and is very LGBT friendly. Whether you’re a theater lover, food connoisseur, bookworm, or history buff, New York is an amazing place to study. However, you will pay a lot to live in this states ad it has the most expensive rooms on the list.

• Avg cost of tuition: $8,467
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 9.1%
• Top colleges in the state: 14

3. Minnesota

In third place, is the northern state of Minnesota. It is one of the happiest states and ranks very well for mental health and LGBT friendliness. Add in the dramatic scenery and outdoor adventures on offer makes Minnesota a great college destination. For those concerned about cost, room and board prices are below average and the state has low crime levels making it an ideal place for students to call home.

• Avg cost of tuition: $11,748
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 9.4
• Top colleges in the state: 1

4. Utah

If you want to be surrounded by other young people Utah could be for you as it has the highest population of 19-25-year-olds. It is also one of the more affordable places to study with the cheapest rooms of all states and tuition and board costing way below average so it is great if you are sticking to a budget. When you're not studying you can make the most of the different regions offering something for everyone from hiking to skiing. The famous Salt Lake City boasts stunning scenery and world class art too.

• Avg cost of tuition: $6,700
• % of the population 19-25 years old:10.7%
• Top colleges in the state: 1

5. Florida

Taking the last spot in the top 5 best states is Florida. It may come as a surprise that Florida offers the cheapest tuition of all the states and below-average prices for room and board so it could be a good option if you’re looking to save money.

You won’t be short of activities to keep you busy in Florida as it’s one of the top-ranking states for things to do, you could pop down to Miami and experience its diverse culture. However, the state doesn’t shine due to its below-average score for LGBT friendliness and mental health.

• Avg cost of tuition: $4,463
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 7.4%
• Top colleges in the state: 10

6. Wisconsin

In sixth place is Wisconsin. This midwestern state is another great place for those who are conscious of their budget as it has the cheapest board and below average tuition and room costs. It was ranked as the state with the best mental health and has high levels of happiness and low levels of crime.

• Avg cost of tuition: $8,764
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 6.9%
• Top colleges in the state: 3

7. Texas

Texas takes seventh place in the best states to be a student. It is home to 12 top colleges and famous institutions like the University of Texas at Austin, and Rice University and it has below-average costs for tuition, rent, and board.

If you are keen to make new friends, its high percentage of 19-25-year-olds should hopefully make it easy. However, it doesn’t rank well for mental health or LGBT friendliness so consider this before choosing Texas as a destination.

• Avg cost of tuition: $8,598
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 9.6%
• Top colleges in the state: 12

8. Virginia

In eighth place in the ranking is the state of Virginia. The state offers above-average levels of happiness and mental health and high levels of LGBT friendliness which can make it very appealing. There are low levels of crime and the graduate salaries are pretty good too.

• Avg cost of tuition: $13,655
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 8.9%
• Top colleges in the state: 5

9. Colorado

Taking the penultimate spot in the top 10 is Colorado. The state is the most LGBT-friendly of them all so is great for inclusivity, it also has a high number of young people and good graduate starting salaries.

The state doesn't rank well for things to do, but if you like to get outdoors and explore you'll find plenty to keep you busy. You will pay the most for your board out of all the states while at college but tuition costs are below average and graduate salaries are pretty high.

• Avg cost of tuition: $9,144
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 9.7%
• Top colleges in the state: 6

10. Massachusetts

If you’re set on earning the top bucks straight after graduation, Massachusetts could be the state for you as it offers some of the top grad salaries. In order to get those good salaries you do have to pay more than average for tuition, room, and board. However, the state is pretty LGBT friendly, has low crime rates, ands generally a happy place to live.

• Avg cost of tuition: $13,729
• % of the population 19-25 years old: 8.6%
• Top colleges in the state: 10

California ranked the best state for college students

California scored pretty consistently across most of the categories and came top in three of them; the number of high-ranking unis, things to do, and graduate salary. It is a very LGBT-friendly state and has high levels of happiness too.

Florida ranked the best state for inexpensive tuition

Florida has the lowest average tuition cost of all the US states for the second year in a row, so any money saved can be spent in their world-famous amusement parks.

Hawaii ranked the best state for happiness

It’s no surprise Hawaii ranked as the happiest state once again - stunning beaches, breathtaking waterfalls, and beautiful weather make it the perfect place to find happiness while studying.

California ranked the best state for top universities

California has some of the best universities in the US. It's home to prestigious colleges like Stanford, California Institute of Technology, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Maine ranked the best for low crime rates

For students who want to avoid criminal activity, Maine has the lowest number of violent crimes in all the states. It’s a safe place to study for your degree.