So it's common that low-yield OOS schools that reject applicants for being "overqualified" and anticipating them to matriculate to others school regardless, but can these applicants get yield protected at in state public schools as well, given their lower tuition?
Of course -- as others have said, it's both an exercise in resource allocation and yield protection. Schools just don't want to waste time and precious interview slots on people unlikely to attend.
Lower tuition is not an obvious decision driver for everyone, such as people who are clearly headed for prestigious, research heavy schools, or people who will clearly be receiving need-based or merit-based scholarships elsewhere. As others have said, it is school and applicant specific, so there really is no way to generalize, although, sure, it is more prevalent with respect to high stat applicants applying to lower ranked OOS public schools.
You apply where you want, and whatever happens, happens. You can minimize this phenomenon by not applying to schools you consider "safety" schools that you really cannot see yourself attending, since it is very possible an adcom will also see you that way.