<p>Those two schools are basically tied for in-state costs. For the 2011-12 school year that the article was based on, the difference in tuition and fees is only $148 (less than 1%) over the whole year. This is for arts-and-sciences at both schools, and it’s not accounting for room and board. It also doesn’t account for the upper-division tuition increase at Penn State, which doesn’t occur at Pitt; if accounted for, that would reverse the order.</p>
<p>Neither school “hates” in-state students. The high in-state costs occur because the state government does not subsidize the flagship system to the same extent that most other states do.</p>
<p>Sure, we have “real” state-owned schools, but they are not of the same academic quality as Pitt or Penn State, and they don’t offer all of the majors.</p>