Every figure is for a student starting in fall 2027. We work each one out again whenever we update the site.
Paying for college in Oklahoma
What the state and its colleges give families, who gets it, and how to apply. See every Oklahoma college priced for your income
From the state
Across state lines
From the colleges
Pay less for college
A SmartTuition plan shows what to pay from where, each semester.
In our Oklahoma scenarios, with good parent credit, a SmartTuition plan saves a median of about $6,500 over four years. How we worked this out ↓
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From the state
Oklahoma's programs. Most come through the FAFSA or the state's own aid application; a few have their own.
Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant
A need-based grant for Oklahoma residents who can get a Pell Grant. It pays up to $2,000 a year at a regional university and $3,000 at a research university, or 75 percent of enrollment costs if less. Funds run out, so file the FAFSA early.
Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, OKcollegestart
“The Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant Program (OTAG) is a need-based grant program for Oklahoma residents who attend eligible colleges, universities and career technology centers in Oklahoma.”
“Basic requirements for OTAG include the eligibility to receive a Pell grant in the current academic term.”
“the maximum annual award is the lesser of 75 percent of enrollment costs or up to $1,500 at eligible community college and career technology centers, up to $2,000 at regional universities and up to $3,000 at research universities.”
“Typically, OTAG receives more eligible applications than can be awarded with available funds, and how early a student applies may be the deciding factor in whether that student is offered an OTAG award.”
Oklahoma's 529 tax deduction
Money you put into an Oklahoma 529 account comes off your Oklahoma income, up to $10,000 a year, or $20,000 on a joint return, and more carries forward five years. Take money out for anything other than school costs and Oklahoma taxes the earnings.
Source: Oklahoma 529, Frequently Asked Questions
“This deduction is for a maximum of $10,000 per year for a single return and $20,000 per year for a joint return.”
“Carry forward larger amounts up to five years.”
“The earnings portion of a nonqualified withdrawal is subject to state and federal income taxation and a 10% federal tax on earnings”
Oklahoma’s Promise
A scholarship that pays tuition at Oklahoma’s public colleges, universities and technology centers. Students apply in grades 8 to 11 and keep their grades up. The family’s income must be $60,000 or less for one or two dependents, $70,000 for three or four, and $80,000 for five or more.
Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma’s Promise
“apply any time from grades 8-11 through Dec. 31 of your senior year”
“Tuition Covered At Oklahoma colleges, universities, and technology centers.”
“Household size Max family income (AGI) 1–2 dependents $60,000 3–4 dependents $70,000 5 or more dependents $80,000”
“Maintain GPA and no disqualifying offenses”
Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant
A need-based grant of $2,000 a year for Oklahoma residents at the state's eligible private colleges, full time, with a family income of $50,000 or less. The college picks the students.
Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, OKcollegestart
“OTEG is a need-based grant program that awards grants to Oklahoma residents enrolled as full-time undergraduates at certain qualified Oklahoma not-for-profit, private/independent institutions of higher education.”
“Have a family income of $50,000 or less.”
“Awards OTEG grant amounts are $2,000 per academic year or $1,000 per academic semester. Students to be awarded OTEG will be selected and notified by the institutions.”
Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award
Formerly the Academic Scholars Program. A scholarship toward tuition, room, board and books at an Oklahoma college for up to eight semesters. It is for National Merit Scholars and Finalists, Presidential Scholars and students at the 99.5 percentile on the ACT or SAT. A scholar keeps it with a 3.25 GPA.
Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, OKcollegestart
“Rising Scholars receive a scholarship to help cover the cost of room, board, tuition, books and incidental fees for up to eight semesters.”
“Oklahoma students can automatically qualify for the program by achieving designation as a National Merit Scholar, National Merit Finalist or United States Presidential Scholar or by scoring at or above the 99.5 percentile on the ACT or SAT”
“Maintain at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average each year.”
Regional University Baccalaureate Scholarship
At Oklahoma's 11 regional public universities, $3,500 a year plus a resident tuition waiver. It is for Oklahoma residents with an ACT of at least 30, or who are National Merit Semifinalists or Commended Students. Apply to the university.
Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, OKcollegestart
“Starting Fall 2023, the annual award amount is $3,500 and a resident tuition waiver from the institution.”
“Have an ACT composite score of at least 30”
“Be a National Merit Semifinalist or Commended Student.”
“This scholarship enables 11 participating public universities to provide up to four years of scholarship support to academically-promising Oklahoma students enrolled in a baccalaureate program.”
“Application is made directly through the university the student plans to attend.”
Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance Program
Pays resident tuition and mandatory fees at Oklahoma public colleges for active members of the Oklahoma National Guard, up to 18 credit hours a semester. A member keeps it with a 2.0 GPA.
Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, OKcollegestart
“Be an active member of the Oklahoma National Guard in good standing Have a high school diploma or GED Be admitted to and enrolled in an Oklahoma public college or university”
“Covers resident tuition, mandatory fees, and academic service fees Covers up to 18 credit hours per semester”
“Maintain a 2.0 GPA for undergraduate; 3.0 for graduate programs”
Heroes Promise
Tuition at an Oklahoma public college, and part of it at a private college, for the children of Oklahoma service members killed in the line of duty since 2000. The student enrolls before turning 21.
Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, OKcollegestart
“creating a special tuition scholarship for children of Oklahoma military personnel that were killed in action after Jan. 1, 2000.”
“The student must enroll within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education prior to reaching the age of 21.”
“Heroes Promise will help pay the student's tuition at a public community college or university. It will also cover a portion of tuition at an accredited Oklahoma private college or university”
Independent Living Act tuition waiver
Resident tuition at an Oklahoma public college for young people who were in state foster care for at least nine months between ages 16 and 18, up to age 26.
Source: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, OKcollegestart
“Tuition waivers are available to students who have been in DHS custody for at least nine months between the ages of 16 and 18.”
“Tuition waivers will be made available to eligible students up to 26 years of age”
“A resident tuition waiver covers the cost of resident tuition for all courses for which resident tuition is charged.”
Oklahoma also has scholarships for future teachers and other careers, and for particular groups of students. See the State Regents' list.
From the colleges
What each college gives for grades, what it promises on aid, and its full price.
| College | Merit scholarships | Promise on aid | Full price a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Oklahoma State University public |
| — | $16,539 |
| Oklahoma State University public | None published | — | $29,530 |
| Oral Roberts University private | None published | — | $54,066 |
| Rogers State University public | None published | — | $19,779 |
| Southern Nazarene University private | None published | — | $47,207 |
| University of Oklahoma public |
| — | $33,664 |
| University of Tulsa private | None published | — | $42,699 |
* The finder and our college comparison show this scholarship when you enter your student's GPA.
Each college's page has a promise's conditions, in the college's own words. “Worth asking about” marks a program the college describes in words that stop short of a promise.
Full price: tuition and fees, housing and food, and books; in state at a public university. What your family would pay after grants depends on your income: the finder shows it.
11 more Oklahoma colleges have no page here. For 0 of them, the federal data has no cost or no price by income. The rest mainly teach graduate students or run online programs. Show them
- Cameron University
- East Central University
- Mid-America Christian University
- Northeastern State University
- Oklahoma Baptist University
- Oklahoma Christian University
- Oklahoma City University
- Southeastern Oklahoma State University
- Southwestern Oklahoma State University
- University of Central Oklahoma
- University of Oklahoma-Health Sciences Center
Across state lines
The Academic Common Market, run by the Southern Regional Education Board.
Coming to Oklahoma from another southern state
Students from the other states in the market pay in-state tuition at a public college that takes part, but only for a degree their own state's public colleges don't offer.
These 8 colleges in Oklahoma take part:
- East Central University
- Langston University
- Oklahoma State University
- Southeastern Oklahoma State University
- Southwestern Oklahoma State University
- University of Central Oklahoma
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Going from Oklahoma to another southern state
An Oklahoma student admitted to such a program in another of these states applies to Oklahoma to be certified as a resident. The program search shows which programs are open to Oklahoma students.
Source: Southern Regional Education Board, Academic Common Market
“is a tuition-savings program for college students in 15 SREB states who want to pursue degrees that are not offered by public institutions in their home state.”
“Students can enroll in out-of-state institutions and pay the institution’s in-state tuition rates for more than 2,200 undergraduate and graduate programs.”
“Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia Florida and Texas participate only at the graduate level.”
“Once admitted to the institution, contact your state ACM coordinator and complete the ACM application process in your home state to be certified as a state resident.”
Paying the rest
Your SmartTuition plan uses your savings, your 529, your loans and your award letter.
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How we worked these out
What a SmartTuition plan saves
The $6,500 in the “Pay less for college” box near the top of this page is the median saving over our Oklahoma scenarios. Each scenario is a household in Oklahoma at one of its colleges. Its income is one of 8 from $45,000 to $200,000, and its savings are none, $40,000 or $100,000 in a 529. We price each college at the aid it reports for the income.
Every scenario has parents with good credit and $500 a month toward college. A saving is the difference, over four years, between a SmartTuition plan and the standard approach: savings first, then loans for the rest. It counts loan interest, the federal tax credit and Oklahoma's tax deduction for money you put through its 529 plan. Credit matters: parents with fair credit borrow at a higher rate, which changes the saving.
A scenario where the parents would borrow more than $65,000 is left out, as is one at a college that reports no aid for the income. The figure is for a household that lives in Oklahoma.
Costs: each college's own published price where it has one, otherwise the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, carried forward to fall 2027. Grants: each program’s own page. Scholarships: each college's own page, read by us and checked against it. SmartTuition.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any institution named here.