The California State University college system recently announced its plan to raise the cost of tuition for undergraduates 10% by next autumn. The new rate will call for undergrads to pay an average of $3,797 per year, nearly twice the amount shelled out by students in 2000. According to The New York Times, Governator Schwarzenegger ordered the tuition hike hoping to reduce the Golden State’s budget deficit.

So what does this mean for college students in other states across the country? Should they be worried?

Yes.

Students in Colorado face a similar financial dilemma. The state is contemplating increasing tuition costs for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors by 9.5% for next fall. Like his California counterpart, Rep. Jack Plummer (D – Boulder) cites an inability to both reduce the state’s deficit and provide funding for high quality educational programs. Both Florida and West Virginia have similar plans in the works.

Considering this recent deluge of “bust your pockets” legislation, what choices do college students have? Well, besides forking over the extra dough, many students are turning to online education. Distance learning programs give students a way to cut down on expenses (gas, parking passes, meal plans, expensive room & board) while pursuing the certificate, diploma, or degree of their choice. According to the Sloan Consortium, nearly 3.5 million students took at least one online course in the fall of 2006–almost one-fifth of the country’s total number of higher ed students. And with gas prices hovering at $4.00/gallon and the housing market in shambles, is there a better time to cut costs than now?