For many students in the Midwest, the perfect opportunity for higher education may sit just across the state line, maybe even just a few hours from home.
The short drive from Illinois to Iowa may give a talented student access to the University of Iowa’s prestigious writing program. Crossing the Iowa-Wisconsin border could provide a different student with the college experience they have
always wanted.
However, in a region where states share economies and culture, college affordability seems to halt at the borders.
It’s important to mention that lawmakers are making efforts to aid in the cost of secondary education. Across the country, states are updating financial aid and tuition policies to make college more affordable, including expanding promise programs, adjusting eligibility for scholarships and grants, and modifying tuition rules to reduce barriers for students, showing that affordability is a priority.
Iowa recently passed a bill freezing tuition at public universities for in-state undergraduates through 2031, showing a commitment to keeping higher education affordable for residents. Policies like this highlight the importance of statewide action and expanding programs like the Midwest Student Exchange Program could similarly reduce costs for students crossing
state lines.
Despite Iowa’s efforts for residents, Midwestern states being so closely culturally and geographically linked need to create and expand statewide tuition reciprocity agreements to make higher education more accessible and equitable for students coming from other states in
the region.
By expanding programs such as the Midwest Student Exchange Program, students can access quality education across state lines without facing prohibitively high costs, instead of relying on individual colleges to offer limited discounts or selective programs. Aligning with national trends would help the region keep talent in-state while reducing debt and increasing equity in higher education.
The lack of a reciprocity program — which would allow for out-of-state students from nearby states to attend college with reciprocity to pay tuition at a discounted, near in-state rate — has led to inconsistencies and confusion, which has often left out-of-state students paying an amount over double what their in-state peers may be paying – even when they are just a few hours away.
There are programs that aim to bridge the gap between in- and out-of-state tuition. However, they are far from being universal and also don’t entirely eliminate the cost barrier.
Carrie Wandler, senior director of policy initiatives at the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, wrote in an email to The Daily Iowan that eight of 12 states participate in the the Midwest Student Exchange Program, which is administered by the compact, including Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
This means that as a resident of any of these states, you potentially qualify for a reduced tuition rate with an annual tuition savings average of $7,000, according to the exchange program’s website. According to a study conducted by the Education Resources Information Center, families of students in participating states saved more than $60 million over the 2020-2021 academic year.
Under the exchange program, participating states choose the amount they charge out-of-state students while still following program guidelines.
“Through MSEP, public institutions agree to charge participating students no more than 150 percent of in-state tuition, while private institutions offer at least a 10 percent tuition reduction,” Wandler said.
Some states, however, have stronger, specific reciprocity agreements within the exchange program.
As a Wisconsin resident, I had the option to attend college in Minnesota paying only the in-state tuition rate, which for the University of Minnesota, would be approximately $14,000 to $15,000 per year in tuition alone, according to their admissions data. Compared to the out-of-state tuition rate of Minnesota, which is roughly $38,000 to $43,000 per year, this is a significant difference. However, the program on its own does not provide full in-state rates.
Still, considering the close proximity of Midwest states, more states, including Iowa and Illinois, should participate.
At the UI, roughly 57 percent of students come from the Hawkeye state, according to a study on College Factual done by their College Data Analytics Team. However, the same study also shows nearly 34 percent of the remaining students are from Illinois, with 2.5 percent of students coming from Wisconsin. Throughout Iowa schools, the majority of out-of-state students come from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois, according to the state regents website.
The majority of out-of-state commuters being from Illinois can be attributed to the state having an average in-state tuition rate of $15,000, which is over $5,000 above the national in-state tuition average of $9,750, setting the in-state rates of Illinois at third highest in the country.
At the UI, in-state tuition alone runs at roughly $11,000, according to admissions data.
But for Illinoisians, moving over to a nearly geographically identical location isn’t necessarily a cheap option, either. At the UI, many out-of-state students pay the full out-of-state tuition rate, which is $33,710 for the 2026-27 year.
With additional costs, including housing — whether on or off campus — books and supplies, personal expenses, and transportation, the average out-of-state student can expect to spend roughly $53,584 per year.
It isn’t just expensive for those coming to Iowa, though. In fact, if someone from Illinois chooses to go to one of the other Midwest states, they will more than likely be paying as much, if not more, than what their home state charges for in-state tuition. This puts many Midwest students into a kind of tuition gridlock, where the cost is high no matter what they choose.
Beyond the money, however, comes the issue of interstate enrollment for specified majors and programs of study. The UI, for example, is world-renowned for its creative writing programs, both undergraduate and graduate. If a student from a nearby state wished to pursue creative writing, the UI would most likely be a better opportunity than a program that’s within their state. But again, as they cross the state border, the price for a suitable education could increase.
“One of the original goals of reciprocity programs was to give students access to programs that may not exist in their home state,” Wandler said.
Having more in-state reciprocity would do more than make college more affordable; in fact, reciprocity programs have highly regarded regional and national benefits that often get overlooked by universities in fear of a loss of funds.
Some Midwest states have already shown the possibilities of broader reciprocity agreements. Wisconsin and Minnesota, for example, allow students to cross state lines for education — to many public colleges in either state — and receive in-state tuition, without facing overwhelming financial barriers.
Expanding reciprocity could keep students in Midwest states after graduation. With reciprocity agreements, students have lowered costs, reducing the overall debt burden, which allows students to begin their careers with more financial flexibility, making it more alluring for graduates to settle in the area.
Additionally, these programs help students foster regional ties and stay within the Midwest after graduation to work, helping address the concerns of population loss in the area. Still, reciprocity expansion has faced resistance.
“Research in MHEC’s report ‘Student Reciprocity Programs and MSEP in the 21st Century’ shows that most barriers are practical rather than ideological,” Wandler said. “States often worry about net student migration, meaning more students leave their state than come in.”
Wandler said institutions are hesitant to give tuition control to the states. Many wish to maintain flexibility to manage enrollment and determine which programs are eligible to participate.
Although these concerns are valid, they show the exact reason why we need reciprocity agreements: many students are left navigating an inconsistent system, often having to forgo more adequate opportunities and experiences for them in order to afford higher education. Expanding statewide agreements, though, would make tuition more predictable and access more equitable, allowing students to choose schools based on opportunity rather than cost.
The Midwest is so interconnected, so higher education should reflect that reality. State lines shouldn’t determine whether a student can afford the right opportunity.
“At the end of the day, when students can find the right opportunity anywhere in the Midwest, the whole region benefits,” Wandler said.