The average annual tuition for public, four-year colleges for the 2019 to 2020 school year was $10,486 for in-state residents, and $15,873 for out-of-state residents, according to data from CollegeBoard.On average, room and board costs added $11,510 per year during the 2018-2019 school year.Most students don\\'t pay the full cost, however.