College Board
Trends in Higher Education Series

Net Price by Type and Control of Institution

Between 2003-04 and 2008-09, average net tuition and fees declined for public two-year colleges. Net price grew more slowly than published prices at private four-year institutions, but more rapidly than published prices at public four-year institutions.
Key Takeaways
  • In 2008-09, full-time students at private four-year institutions receive an estimated average of $10,200 in grant aid from all sources and federal tax benefits. This aid reduces the average net tuition and fees they pay from the published $25,100 to about $14,900.
  • Full-time students at public four-year colleges and universities receive an estimated average of $3,700 in grant aid from all sources and federal tax benefits. This aid reduces the average net tuition and fees they pay from the published $6,600 to about $2,900.
  • All students also pay living costs. The net price estimates reported here attribute all of the grant aid and tax benefits to tuition and fees.
  • Full-time students at public two-year colleges receive an estimated average of $2,300 in grant aid from all sources and federal tax benefits. This aid reduces the average net tuition and fees they pay from the published $2,400 to about $100.
  • Average grant aid per student and average net prices conceal significant differences among students. Increases in financial aid for lower-income students have a greater impact on college access and affordability than similar increases for higher-income students.
ALSO IMPORTANT
  • The federal Pell Grant program provides about half of the grants received by full-time students at public two-year colleges and a quarter of the grants received by full-time students at public four-year colleges, but only about 10% for students at private colleges.
  • About 70% of the grant aid received by full-time students at private four-year colleges and universities is institutional grant aid. This aid constitutes a little over a third of grant aid for public four-year students and about 15% of grant aid for public two-year college students.
Figure 7: Published Tuition and Fees and Room and Board (TFRB) Compared to TFRB Net of Average Grant and Education Tax Benefits
per Full-Time Undergraduate Student, in Constant (2008) Dollars, 1993-94, 1998-99, 2003-04 and 2008-09

Figure 7
 
Room and Board
Published Tuition and Fees
Net Tuition and Fees
Notes: Net tuition and fees are calculated by subtracting estimated average grant aid plus tax benefits per full-time student in the sector from the published price. Aggregate aid amounts are from Trends in Student Aid 2008. Division of total aid across sectors and between full-time and part-time students is based on the NPSAS, 1993 through 2004.
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This graph was prepared in October 2008.
Table 7: Published Tuition and Fees and Room and Board (TFRB) Compared to TFRB Net of Average Grant and Education Tax Benefits per
Full-Time Undergraduate Student, in Constant (2008) Dollars, 1993-94 to 2008-09
   
93-94 
  
94-95 
  
95-96 
  
96-97 
  
97-98 
98-99
99-00
00-01
01-02
02-03
03-04
04-05
05-06
06-07
07-08
08-09
Private Four-Year
Published Tuition
& Fees
$16,800
$17,400
$17,600
$18,200
$18,900
$19,800
$20,500
$20,500
$21,500
$22,100
$22,700
$23,300
$23,600
$24,100
$25,100
$25,100
Net Tuition and Fees
$10,600
$10,700
$10,800
$11,300
$11,800
$12,200
$12,700
$12,600
$13,500
$13,800
$13,900
$14,300
$14,400
$14,600
$15,100
$14,900
TFRB
$24,100
$24,500
$25,100
$25,700
$26,500
$27,600
$28,300
$28,300
$29,600
$30,400
$31,200
$31,900
$32,400
$33,000
$34,100
$34,100
Net TFRB
$17,900
$17,800
$18,200
$18,800
$19,400
$20,000
$20,500
$20,400
$21,600
$22,100
$22,400
$22,900
$23,100
$23,500
$24,200
$23,900
Public Four-Year
Published Tuition
& Fees
$3,900
$4,000
$4,100
$4,200
$4,300
$4,400
$4,400
$4,500
$4,700
$5,000
$5,600
$6,000
$6,200
$6,300
$6,500
$6,600
Net Tuition and Fees
$2,300
$2,200
$2,100
$2,200
$2,200
$2,200
$2,200
$2,100
$2,000
$2,200
$2,100
$2,400
$2,700
$2,700
$2,800
$2,900
TFRB
$9,500
$9,800
$9,700
$10,000
$10,200
$10,500
$10,700
$10,700
$11,200
$11,800
$12,600
$13,200
$13,600
$13,900
$14,300
$14,300
Net TFRB
$7,900
$8,000
$7,800
$8,100
$8,200
$8,300
$8,500
$8,400
$8,600
$9,000
$9,200
$9,700
$10,100
$10,300
$10,600
$10,600
Public Two-Year
Published Tuition
& Fees
$1,900
$1,900
$1,900
$2,100
$2,100
$2,100
$2,200
$2,100
$2,000
$2,000
$2,300
$2,400
$2,500
$2,400
$2,400
$2,400
Net Tuition and Fees
$1,000
$1,000
$900
$1,000
$1,000
$600
$600
$400
$200
$100
$200
$300
$300
$300
$100
$100
TFRB
$7,900
$8,100
$8,000
$8,300
$8,500
$8,600
$8,800
$8,900
$8,700
$9,000
$9,000
$9,200
$9,200
$9,300
$9,700
$9,700
Net TFRB
$7,000
$7,200
$7,000
$7,200
$7,400
$7,100
$7,200
$7,200
$6,900
$7,100
$6,900
$7,000
$7,000
$7,100
$7,400
$7,400
Notes: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 100s. Net tuition and fees are calculated by subtracting estimated average grant aid plus tax benefits per full-time student in the sector from the published price. Aggregate aid amounts are from Trends in Student Aid 2008. Division of total aid across sectors and between full-time and part-time students is based on the NPSAS, 1993 through 2004.
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This table was prepared in October 2008.
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