Thank you so much! Will definitely check it out! 
I just checked out the website, and I think it would definitely appeal to him! It can’t hurt to apply and try for one of their scholarships!
How does Arizona look? Do I remember correctly they often give good merit to OOS kids with good scores?
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I think it looks great! I read on these boards somewhere that they might be shrinking their OOS merit aid? But I’m not sure if I’ve seen anything definitive about it. If he’s eligible for great merit there, we’ll definitely consider it though! I think he’d love the novelty of being in a totally different environment!
The incoming 2024-2025 frosh University of Arizona scholarships for (recalculated) GPA are shown at Types of Aid: Incoming First-Year and Transfer Tuition Scholarship Awards | Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid . However, they may be different (less) for 2025-2026 frosh, since there has been news of budget problems at University of Arizona.
Also, the highest listed award is $32k but the non-resident cost of attendance is $60-64k, leaving a net price of $28-32k, which seems somewhat over the OP’s budget of $22k. If $22k is the parent contribution, the student could take federal direct loans and contribute some work earnings to make it work, but that would be a stretch budget with no room for unexpected costs or financial setbacks.
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Another one bites the dust! 
Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this though!
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How does the NPC look for Vanderbilt? They do have quite a few full tuition scholarships as well, but of course those are extremely competitive. Still, they are making some changes to their financial aid awards and that may help you. They were very generous with my son.
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There are 12 non-resident University of New Mexico Regents’ scholarships available, which would be $24k and waiver of non-resident tuition (so net price probably about $3-4k).
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$38,300. 
I hadn’t heard about changes to their FA awards—that’s promising! I’m so glad they were generous with your son!
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Sounds promising to me! I will check it out. Thank you!
Ohio University offers tuition reciprocity to Kentucky residents who reside in certain counties, see the link at here: https://www.ohio.edu/admissions/tuition/ohio-residency. If your son qualifies for the tuition reciprocity, then he would likely qualify for merit scholarships that would bring the cost down into your target range. Further, Ohio University has the OHIO Guarantee, which freezes tuition costs for 12 consecutive semesters, here: https://www.ohio.edu/guarantee.
Southern Illinois University in Carbondale does not distinguish between in-state and out-of-state residents for tuition purposes (i.e., there is only one tuition rate for undergraduates). Your son likely would receive additional merit aid from SIU. I think that SIU would be a good safety school for your son (you always need a safety school to apply to).
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Maybe lookat Texas Tech? They dont guarantee their NMF to everyone, but it does cover full cost of attendance (including books and travel, etc.)
We were really, really impressed with their honors college and how hard they work to expand opportunities. For example, you would almost certainly get a scholarship for study abroad, but they also can arrange short term externships at companies and they cover all meals and travel expenses, as well as a professional wardrobe, if needed.
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Thank you so much! I will check into both of these! 
One mort thing. My father was a chemisty major at Texas Tech and got a Fulbright. He then got his PhD from Michigan and spent his career at the national laboratories, so you can definitely suceed in the hard sciences there.
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Oh, cool! I didn’t know they had an awesome NM offer! I’ll definitely check them out—and the honors college! Thank you!
That’s awesome. 
Will pass that on to my son!
If you believe the criteria at State Similarity Index - OBJECTIVE LISTS , then the results at The Most Similar States to Kentucky - OBJECTIVE LISTS , Kentucky - OBJECTIVE LISTS , and State Similarity Index Distance Matrix - OBJECTIVE LISTS suggests that KY is most similar to TN, WV, MO, AR, AL and least similar to HI, CA, AK, MA, RI. Note that Vanderbilt (TN) and WUStL (MO) are in states more similar to KY.
Yes, college students tend to be somewhat left of the general adult population. But he may want to consider the difference between “just politics” and actual quality of life effects from the results of politics as they get turned into state laws and policies (common examples of the latter would include abortion laws – obviously, some people may be more or less affected by particular laws). Also, note that attitudes in the local area can vary from the state in general, and that can have meaningful quality of life effects for some people.
He may want to look up seasonal weather patterns of the local areas (not just the states) of each college of potential interest.
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Please don’t use the MyIntuition.
Use the school’s actual NPC for each school…example below. Yes it takes longer because you have to do it over and over but we’ve read countless times of My Intuition being too high.
The reality is - budget drives these decisions. So if you need to be low 20s and a desired school is coming in high 30s, it’s not going to work.
That said, you can still apply to a Vandy, WUSTL, etc. because they have - I call them - Hail Mary Scholarships - full ride merits - as does a school like SMU, Washington & Lee and so many else.
But you do need that one - it’s definitely affordable school - and that’s your - you just put it down - Tulsa - small school and free.
You likely can afford a UAH (mid size) with merit and then you know about the big ones with NMFs - like an Alabama, that you don’t seem interested in.
But Kentucky also has schools that will be affordable - Murray State is very good and affordable - or Truman State (in Missouri) is a highly respected smaller school that would hit budget.
Good luck.
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Another school that’s out of state, medium-to-large, adjacent to a major city, and strong in STEM, with a generous NMF package, is UT-Dallas. It has a “nerdier” vibe than Alabama - no idea whether that would be a plus or a minus. And of course Texas is another red state, but perhaps different enough from Kentucky and Alabama to differ from the “more of the same” feeling?
UTD was historically a commuter school, but they’ve invested heavily in residential life and in their Honors College, which has its own Study Abroad opportunities (w/ additional NMF funding) Study Abroad - Hobson Wildenthal Honors College | UT Dallas Overall, it could be worth having in the mix.
For something outside of the south, Michigan State has some large scholarships that he could be competitive for, and the Lyman Briggs Residential College, focused on natural sciences & mathematics, might appeal to him. But that wouldn’t be a guaranteed big-merit package like some of the others.
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That’s interesting about the State Similarity Index. Despite being in a similar region, I think that the higher prestige of Vandy and WUStL gave them a pass in my son’s book. 
That’s a good reminder about the perceived politics versus actual quality of life—and about the weather! Thank you!