College tuition up....again.....

[Bucky Katt]

At least we know they aren't spending the money on silly things like elevator maintenance.

[Adam Locked]

So how much is everyone paying? I attend a small school north of Houston, Sam Houston State University and I'm paying $5,000 a year.

[CleveBucks]

Rising enrollment, inflation, and decreasing state dollars (much of that going towards other education)

Higher Education Funding in Ohio:


Primary/Secondary Funding in Ohio:

In testimony before the Ohio Senate Education Committee in 2005, the point was made that state funding for higher education had dropped about $1,600 per student and tuitions had increased $1,300 over the previous four years.

All of us as higher education leaders are painfully aware that funding for higher education has decreased significantly over the last five years. And, during this same period, we have seen inflation levels rise by approximately 15 percent, while enrollments have increased by approximately 17 percent across the state. In spite of internal cuts, reallocations, productivity and efficiency efforts, and other efforts to control spending and raise revenue, it has become increasingly difficult to provide quality academic programs and services to our students.

As I noted above, over the last five years Ohio’s colleges and universities have increased their student enrollment by approximately 17 percent, and during this period state funding has decreased significantly. As a result of reductions in funding, we now have approximately 50,000 students who have been admitted to Ohio’s colleges and universities over the last five years with no corresponding state support. If we stop and think about this, the implications of these numbers are staggering: 50,000 unfunded students would be approximately the size of the student body at The Ohio State University. During the last five years, across the state of Ohio, these figures indicate that we have been providing academic programs and services—without funding—to the equivalent of the number of students enrolled at OSU.

[BB73]

As a parent of two children both in private colleges (Northwestern and another in the same price range), I'll state that I'm grateful that the more expensive institutions offer greater finanicial aid than state schools.

[gbearbuck]

The building boom on most campuses doesn't help (kind of like an arms race). The lower amount of state funding doesn't help. I don't know if alumni donations are keeping pace with previous years or not, something to look into.

Here's my theory (part joke, part true). Higher education "raises the stated rates" across the board. They in turn give more grants, scholarships, and other aid to bring the price down for those they want (whether it is for good grades, lack of wealth/income of the student/family, the desire to have a diverse student body, or a recruiting tool for any other reason). The total paid by the student receiving the aid is similar to years past, and the rest of the students pay for the difference that the state's had paid in the past.

Funny story regarding one of tOSU's grad programs... ALL students from outside the state of Ohio received a "scholarship" for the first year. Some were full rides, others were 1/2. The reason was out of state students pay more, so the scholarship helps to neutralize the added cost... another reason is for recruiting (the idea of receiving a scholarship seems to get folks excited, even if all the scholarship does is decrease the cost to equal their instate school). The admin's also claim they make it back the second year when all the out-of-staters are charged full price. The students also tend to go back "home" so more tOSU grads get sprinkled throughout the U.S. and this can help in the "exposure" category.

[NewYorkBuck]

Originally Posted by jimotis4heisman

universities are out of control? but its a free market. if you dont want to "invest" in your future learn a trade, open a business etc. you of all nyb should realize this...

jo4h -

Unfortunately - it is not quite as simple as you try to make it. For starters, education, like health care, is an extremely inelastic good, which means changes in price do not markedly effect changes in demand. Further, despite the many colleges across our country, demographics and academic reputation generally make colleges behave as oligopolies (the Ivy League, etc.). These two issues taken together give universities enormous amounts of pricing power, power that I believe is abused at least in part for the reasons that I cite above.

[BuckBackHome]

The study released today was the perfect reason college should be more affordable. College grads make $23K more a year than those with just high school degrees. Just from a selfish standpoint these people will make more, consume more and pay more in taxes. The multiplier effect of this additional income is huge on our national economy.