Tuition policy and the interstate migration of college students

Policies toward nonresident students by public institutions of higher education are an increasingly important issue. This paper looks at the determinants of student migration and the interrelationship of student migration and tuition rates. Students are found to be attracted to schools in states that are attractive to migrants in general, specifically schools in states with favorable economic and environmental conditions, and high tuition rates are found to be a significant deterrent to nonresident students. Tuition rates for nonresident students are found to be largely determined by tradition, although states are found to have a tendency to increase nonresident tuition if they are strong net importers of students.