<p>What state are you in?
(Is there a public university there that meets your needs?)
What’s your approximate family income?
(Are you likely to quality for need-based aid from a selective private school?)
What do you want to study?
Do you have a size preference?</p>
<p>Many public universities are under $40K even for OOS students, at full sticker price.
Colorado School of Mines is right at about that mark, but may not be a good choice for a liberal arts major. St. Mary’s College of MD is a good, small school with a beautiful waterfront setting (no mountains, though). Wisconsin is a strong public flagship and under $40K. Evergreen State is more like $30K.</p>
<p>Private schools with solid academics and good opportunities for outdoor recreation include Bowdoin, Colorado College, Cornell, Middlebury, and Whitman. At full sticker, these schools cost over $50K. So you’d have to qualify for significant need-based aid. </p>
<p>[The</a> Best Colleges For Outdoor Recreation | California | OutsideOnline.com](<a href=“http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/north-america/united-states/california/Outside-University--The-Top-40.html]The”>http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/north-america/united-states/california/Outside-University--The-Top-40.html)</p>
<p>Check Kiplinger’s “best value” rankings for public and private school costs (before and after aid)
[Kiplinger’s</a> Best Values in Private Colleges-Kiplinger](<a href=“http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php]Kiplinger’s”>http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php)
[Kiplinger’s</a> Best Values in Public Colleges-Kiplinger](<a href=“http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php]Kiplinger’s”>Best College Values, 2019 | Kiplinger)</p>