There has been a considerable amount of discussion nationally about the negative economic burden of student loan debt.

There have been several different options presented in an attempt to resolve the issue but as of yet, there has been no consensus on which solution will work best.

Luckily for college students in South Dakota, the cost of a four-year education is still one of the most affordable in America.

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24/7 Wall St., using data from Global Student Costs, a report compiled by DealA, has the Mount Rushmore State as the sixth cheapest state for a college education.

The average in-state cost of tuition and fees to attend one of South Dakota's six public institutions (Black Hills State, Dakota State, Northern State, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, South Dakota State, University of South Dakota) is $9,707.

South Dakota is one of only ten states with an average in-state public tuition of less than $10,000 per year.

The average nationally is $10,388.

CHEAPEST STATES FOR COLLEGE EDUCATION

  1. Oklahoma (Public: $7,710/Private: $18,097)
  2. North Dakota (Public: $8,260/Private: $14,016)
  3. Arkansas (Public: $7,699/Private: $16,411)
  4. Mississippi (Public: $8,239/Private: $15,837)
  5. Kansas (Public: $8,149/Private: $20,686)
  6. South Dakota (Public: $9,707/Private: $14,893)
  7. West Virginia (Public: $9,393/Private: $16,645)
  8. Utah (Public: $10,918/Private: $16,545)
  9. New Mexico (Public: $7,193/Private: $22,299)
  10. Alabama (Public: $13,389/Private: $15,758)

LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money today

These money-saving tips—from finding discounts to simple changes to your daily habits—can come in handy whether you have a specific savings goal, want to stash away cash for retirement, or just want to pinch pennies. It’s never too late to be more financially savvy. Read on to learn more about how you can start saving now. [From: 25 ways you could be saving money today]

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