OP - you can research living off campus with easy google searches.
I can’t imagine PSU and Va Tech are that different in cost of living.
Both are nice small cities/areas in the middle of nowhere.
You really don’t have a bad school on your list - but look at the Michigan State job report I sent. Other schools will have similar.
PSU and Va Tech are also both HUGE (as is Texas A&M) - in regards to area.
Va Tech has the highest rated college food in the country - and that’s an underrated stat.
I thought the choice was just PSU or Michigan State at this point.
I wouldn’t eliminate a school because of “competition” with my ethnicity. And you will find ethnicity (Asian) at most engineering schools - even my son’s…even if the overall college ethnicity is low.
Your kid is a kid and I might be blind to it - but to me that shouldn’t be an issue.