https://highered.colorado.gov/Finance/Residency/faq.html outlines the requirements for in-state tuition in Colorado... every state has slightly different resident requirements.
If the U.S. weren't so involved in worldly conflicts, I'd recommend looking into doing a stint in the military. Get some good experiences, pay isn't terrible, and you get a free ride in school when your done (if you went to a state school, benefits would probably exceed tuition + costs of living combined)
I'm terribly anti-war... so maybe in the canadien military