Yeah, I'm living in one now. My rent is $700 for around 750 sq ft of space in a rather typical apartment complex; one bed, one bath, very safe area (it's a safe city in general), access to 1.2 gbps Comcast (I'm paying $30x for 300mbps). That rent will climb to $750 when my lease renews in 2023, but it's still quite reasonable.
Picked a random university city: Tallahassee, FL (Florida State University). Tons of apartments available across the city for $750-$1000. It'll also work for Gainesville, FL (University of Florida; although it's more expensive than Tallahassee).
You can do it in Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech). Although it'll push you closer to $900-$1100 on rent. Charlottesville, VA (University Virginia) is at the edge of affordable for this scenario, although that is also doable.
Lubbock, TX is pretty easy (Texas Tech). It'll work for College Station, TX (Texas A&M). Waco, TX (Baylor) is a bit of a mixed bag on crime, however it also works.
It'll work in Champaign, IL (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign).
It'll work in Iowa City, IA (Iowa University). Also in Ames, IA (Iowa St).
It'll even work in Pittsburgh, PA. Which is both a mid-size city and a university city (Pitt, Carnegie).
The same goes for Madison, WI (mid-size city, with University Wisconsin). Although it'll push you closer to $900-$1,100.
It'll work in Athens, GA (University of Georgia).
It'll work in Manhattan, KS (Kansas State).
It'll work in Norman, OK (University Oklahoma).
It'll work in West Lafayette / Lafayette, IN (Purdue).
It'll work in Fayetteville, AR (University Arkansas).
It'll work in Las Cruces, NM (New Mexico St University).
It'll work in Morgantown, WV (West Virginia University).
It'll work in Columbia, SC (University South Carolina). Although the crime is more elevated. The same goes for Tuscaloosa, AL (University Alabama).
It even gets you pretty close for Ann Arbor, MI (University of Michigan). Rent will be closer to $1,100 to $1,200.
There are a lot more options, and that's just among the more prominent university list.
The only ones that typically won't work at all are high cost of living states like MA or CA, particularly affluent universities (getting anywhere near them in location), or smaller towns with few apartments (availability).
Picked a random university city: Tallahassee, FL (Florida State University). Tons of apartments available across the city for $750-$1000. It'll also work for Gainesville, FL (University of Florida; although it's more expensive than Tallahassee).
You can do it in Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech). Although it'll push you closer to $900-$1100 on rent. Charlottesville, VA (University Virginia) is at the edge of affordable for this scenario, although that is also doable.
Lubbock, TX is pretty easy (Texas Tech). It'll work for College Station, TX (Texas A&M). Waco, TX (Baylor) is a bit of a mixed bag on crime, however it also works.
It'll work in Champaign, IL (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign).
It'll work in Iowa City, IA (Iowa University). Also in Ames, IA (Iowa St).
It'll even work in Pittsburgh, PA. Which is both a mid-size city and a university city (Pitt, Carnegie).
The same goes for Madison, WI (mid-size city, with University Wisconsin). Although it'll push you closer to $900-$1,100.
It'll work in Athens, GA (University of Georgia).
It'll work in Manhattan, KS (Kansas State).
It'll work in Norman, OK (University Oklahoma).
It'll work in West Lafayette / Lafayette, IN (Purdue).
It'll work in Fayetteville, AR (University Arkansas).
It'll work in Las Cruces, NM (New Mexico St University).
It'll work in Morgantown, WV (West Virginia University).
It'll work in Columbia, SC (University South Carolina). Although the crime is more elevated. The same goes for Tuscaloosa, AL (University Alabama).
It even gets you pretty close for Ann Arbor, MI (University of Michigan). Rent will be closer to $1,100 to $1,200.
There are a lot more options, and that's just among the more prominent university list.
The only ones that typically won't work at all are high cost of living states like MA or CA, particularly affluent universities (getting anywhere near them in location), or smaller towns with few apartments (availability).