Tuition and Fee and Room and Board Charges over Time—
Adjusted for Inflation
The inflation-adjusted increases in tuition and fees in 2008-09 were less than 1% in all sectors. With a 5.6% increase in the Consumer Price Index from July 2007 to July 2008, average real tuition and fees rose 0.3% at private four-year institutions and 0.7% at public four-year colleges and universities. Average published tuition and fees declined by 0.8% at public two-year colleges.
Key Takeaways
- Average published tuition and fees at private four-year colleges increased at an annual rate of 2.4% in inflation-adjusted dollars over the decade from 1998-99 to 2008-09, a slower rate of growth than the 2.9% of the previous decade or the 4.1% from 1978-79 to 1988-89.
- Average published tuition and fees at public four-year colleges increased at an annual rate of 4.2% in inflation-adjusted dollars over the decade from 1998-99 to 2008-09, similar to the 4.1% of the previous decade but much more rapid than the 2.4% average annual increase from 1978-79 to 1988-89.
- Average published tuition and fees at public two-year colleges increased at an annual rate of 1.4% in inflation-adjusted dollars over the decade from 1998-99 to 2008-09, a much slower rate of growth than the 3.5% rate of the previous decade and the 3.1% average annual increase from 1978-79 to 1988-89.
- Room and board charges consistently grow at a slightly slower rate than tuition and fees. Over the decade from 1998-99 to 2008-09, total published charges (tuition and fees and room and board) grew at an average annual rate of 2.2% in private four-year colleges and 3.2% in public four-year colleges, after adjusting for inflation.
ALSO IMPORTANT
- In addition to tuition and fees and room and board, students’ total cost of attendance includes the books and supplies, transportation, and other living expenses included in the student budgets reported in Figure 1.
- About 40% of full-time dependent students enrolled in public four-year institutions live on campus. Another 40% live in off-campus housing and about 20% live with their parents. Among dependent students at private four-year colleges, 64% live on campus, 19% live in off-campus housing, and 17% live with their parents. (National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) 2004)
Table 4: Average Published Tuition and Fees in Constant (2008) Dollars, 1971-72 to 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted)
Academic Year |
Private Four-Year |
% Change |
Public Four-Year |
% Change |
Public Two-Year |
% Change |
| 1971-72 | $9,836 |
— |
$2,032 |
— |
$1,038 |
— |
| 1972-73 | $9,964 |
1.3% | $2,137 |
5.1% | $1,223 |
17.9% |
| 1973-74 | $9,876 |
-0.9% | $2,175 |
1.8% | $1,360 |
11.2% |
| 1974-75 | $9,426 |
-4.6% | $1,924 |
-11.6% | $1,233 |
-9.3% |
| 1975-76 | $9,221 |
-2.2% | $1,757 |
-8.6% | $994 |
-19.4% |
| 1976-77 | $9,762 |
5.9% | $2,377 |
35.3% | $1,090 |
9.6% |
| 1977-78 | $9,736 |
-0.3% | $2,362 |
-0.6% | $1,103 |
1.2% |
| 1978-79 | $9,903 |
1.7% | $2,303 |
-2.5% | $1,095 |
-0.8% |
| 1979-80 | $9,704 |
-2.0% | $2,221 |
-3.6% | $1,068 |
-2.4% |
| 1980-81 | $9,620 |
-0.9% | $2,138 |
-3.7% | $1,040 |
-2.6% |
| 1981-82 | $9,877 |
2.7% | $2,183 |
2.1% | $1,042 |
0.2% |
| 1982-83 | $10,466 |
6.0% | $2,326 |
6.6% | $1,067 |
2.4% |
| 1983-84 | $11,214 |
7.1% | $2,528 |
8.7% | $1,163 |
8.9% |
| 1984-85 | $11,740 |
4.7% | $2,595 |
2.7% | $1,234 |
6.1% |
| 1985-86 | $12,490 |
6.4% | $2,689 |
3.6% | $1,308 |
6.0% |
| 1986-87 | $13,375 |
7.1% | $2,840 |
5.6% | $1,326 |
1.4% |
| 1987-88 | $13,623 |
1.9% | $2,870 |
1.1% | $1,428 |
7.7% |
| 1988-89 | $14,857 |
9.1% | $2,929 |
2.0% | $1,483 |
3.8% |
| 1989-90 | $15,318 |
3.1% | $2,999 |
2.4% | $1,487 |
0.3% |
| 1990-91 | $15,755 |
2.9% | $3,218 |
7.3% | $1,528 |
2.8% |
| 1991-92 | $15,846 |
0.6% | $3,403 |
5.7% | $1,891 |
23.7% |
| 1992-93 | $16,357 |
3.2% | $3,654 |
7.4% | $1,747 |
-7.6% |
| 1993-94 | $16,767 |
2.5% | $3,862 |
5.7% | $1,897 |
8.5% |
| 1994-95 | $17,370 |
3.6% | $4,009 |
3.8% | $1,942 |
2.4% |
| 1995-96 | $17,620 |
1.4% | $4,055 |
1.1% | $1,918 |
-1.2% |
| 1996-97 | $18,205 |
3.3% | $4,168 |
2.8% | $2,053 |
7.0% |
| 1997-98 | $18,892 |
3.8% | $4,264 |
2.3% | $2,148 |
4.6% |
| 1998-99 | $19,825 |
4.9% | $4,376 |
2.6% | $2,095 |
-2.5% |
| 1999-00 | $20,476 |
3.3% | $4,436 |
1.4% | $2,176 |
3.9% |
| 2000-01 | $20,459 |
-0.1% | $4,465 |
0.7% | $2,090 |
-3.9% |
| 2001-02 | $21,534 |
5.3% | $4,667 |
4.5% | $1,993 |
-4.7% |
| 2002-03 | $22,057 |
2.4% | $5,005 |
7.2% | $2,045 |
2.6% |
| 2003-04 | $22,666 |
2.8% | $5,556 |
11.0% | $2,283 |
11.7% |
| 2004-05 | $23,280 |
2.7% | $5,953 |
7.2% | $2,414 |
5.7% |
| 2005-06 | $23,617 |
1.5% | $6,182 |
3.9% | $2,456 |
1.7% |
| 2006-07 | $24,113 |
2.1% | $6,274 |
1.5% | $2,449 |
-0.3% |
| 2007-08 | $25,075 |
4.0% | $6,538 |
4.2% | $2,422 |
-1.1% |
| 2008-09 | $25,143 |
0.3% | $6,585 |
0.7% | $2,402 |
-0.8% |
Sources: 1987-88 and after: Annual Survey of Colleges, the College Board, weighted by full-time undergraduate enrollment; 1986-87 and prior: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, weighted by full-time equivalent enrollment.
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Figure 4: Average Published Tuition and Fees in Constant (2008) Dollars, 1978-79 to 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted)
Tuition and Fees |
|||
Private Four-Year |
Public Four-Year |
Public Two-Year |
|
78-79 |
$9,903 |
$2,203 |
$1,905 |
88-89 |
$14,857 |
$2,929 |
$1,483 |
98-99 |
$19,825 |
$4,376 |
$2,095 |
08-09 |
$25,143 |
$6,585 |
$2,402 |
Sources: The College Board, Annual Survey of Colleges; National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.
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Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fee and Room and Board Charges at Four-Year Institutions in Constant (2008) Dollars,
1975-76 to 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted)
1975-76 to 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted)
Academic Year |
Private Four-Year |
% Change |
Public Four-Year |
% Change |
1975-76 |
$14,866 |
— |
$6,761 |
— |
1976-77 |
$15,320 |
3.1% |
$7,458 |
10.3% |
1977-78 |
$15,289 |
-0.2% |
$7,349 |
-1.5% |
1978-79 |
$15,434 |
0.9% |
$7,181 |
-2.3% |
1979-80 |
$15,085 |
-2.3% |
$7,005 |
-2.5% |
1980-81 |
$14,879 |
-1.4% |
$6,785 |
-3.1% |
1981-82 |
$15,201 |
2.2% |
$6,892 |
1.6% |
1982-83 |
$16,077 |
5.8% |
$7,210 |
4.6% |
1983-84 |
$17,084 |
6.3% |
$7,559 |
4.8% |
1984-85 |
$17,857 |
4.5% |
$7,780 |
2.9% |
1985-86 |
$18,164 |
1.7% |
$7,735 |
-0.6% |
1986-87 |
$19,791 |
9.0% |
$8,136 |
5.2% |
1987-88 |
$20,208 |
2.1% |
$8,116 |
-0.2% |
1988-89 |
$21,644 |
7.1% |
$8,270 |
1.9% |
1989-90 |
$22,203 |
2.6% |
$8,337 |
0.8% |
1990-91 |
$22,732 |
2.4% |
$8,559 |
2.7% |
1991-92 |
$22,914 |
0.8% |
$8,805 |
2.9% |
1992-93 |
$23,526 |
2.7% |
$9,134 |
3.7% |
1993-94 |
$24,060 |
2.3% |
$9,463 |
3.6% |
1994-95 |
$24,454 |
1.6% |
$9,812 |
3.7% |
1995-96 |
$25,072 |
2.5% |
$9,726 |
-0.9% |
1996-97 |
$25,719 |
2.6% |
$10,006 |
2.9% |
1997-98 |
$26,533 |
3.2% |
$10,236 |
2.3% |
1998-99 |
$27,580 |
3.9% |
$10,471 |
2.3% |
1999-00 |
$28,337 |
2.7% |
$10,662 |
1.8% |
2000-01 |
$28,310 |
-0.1% |
$10,742 |
0.8% |
2001-02 |
$29,563 |
4.4% |
$11,193 |
4.2% |
2002-03 |
$30,371 |
2.7% |
$11,813 |
5.5% |
2003-04 |
$31,167 |
2.6% |
$12,595 |
6.6% |
2004-05 |
$31,897 |
2.3% |
$13,212 |
4.9% |
2005-06 |
$32,356 |
1.4% |
$13,638 |
3.2% |
2006-07 |
$32,964 |
1.9% |
$13,876 |
1.7% |
2007-08 |
$34,136 |
3.6% |
$14,317 |
3.2% |
2008-09 |
$34,132 |
0.0% |
$14,333 |
0.1% |
Sources: 1987-88 and after: Annual Survey of Colleges, the College Board, weighted by full-time undergraduate enrollment; 1986-87 and prior: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, weighted by full-time equivalent enrollment.
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Figure 5: Average Published Tuition and Fee and Room and Board (TFRB) Charges at Four-Year Institutions in Constant (2008) Dollars,
1978-79 to 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted)
1978-79 to 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted)
Tuition and Fees and Room and Board |
||
Private Four-Year |
Public Four-Year |
|
78-79 |
$15,434 |
$7,181 |
88-89 |
$21,644 |
$8,270 |
98-99 |
$27,580 |
$10,471 |
08-09 |
$34,132 |
$14,333 |
Sources: The College Board, Annual Survey of Colleges; National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.
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Table 5c: Average Published Tuition and Fees, Room and Board, and Total Charges by Institution Type, in Constant (2008) Dollars,
1986-87 to 2008-09 (Unweighted)
1986-87 to 2008-09 (Unweighted)
— Sample too small to provide meaningful information.
Note: All data are unweighted averages, intended to reflect the average prices set by institutions.
Source: The College Board, Annual Survey of Colleges. Download Excel for this table.
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Note: All data are unweighted averages, intended to reflect the average prices set by institutions.
Source: The College Board, Annual Survey of Colleges.
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