College Tuition Increases were Historically Low This Year: Report

The pandemic has cut deep into colleges’ budgets, as most returned or lost auxiliary revenue in the spring and took on vast new expenses as they prepped to reopen campuses and build out online infrastructure for the fall.

The average tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year colleges stayed the same in 10 states before inflation, as it did for in-district students at public two-year schools in 14 states, the report states.

Institutions are recognizing the barriers to affording college for students and their families, one of its authors noted in a statement.

The average discount rate at private colleges last year was more than 50% for first-time, full-time students.

Public colleges, and flagships in particular, have offered more merit aid in recent years to attract more students, including by giving aid to students from higher-earning families.

Source: Education Dive