^ OK, then cost IS a factor.
That being the case, you may want to re-think some of the schools on your list (up front, before applying).
For instance, for your situation Penn State appears to be ~20% less expensive than Michigan or schools in the University of California system. Wisconsin or Minnesota would be even cheaper. For what it’s worth, US News ranks both Wisconsin’s and Minnesota’s economics departments in the top 15. That’s a graduate program ranking, but probably indicates high faculty quality.