How much do colleges and universities spend on students?

Trend data show small increases in the current-fund expenditures per student at public 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities in the late 1980s and larger increases during the 1990s. After an adjustment for inflation at colleges and universities, current-fund expenditures per student at public colleges rose about 5 percent between 1985–86 and 1990–91, and another 28 percent between 1990–91 and 2000–01.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2006). Digest of Education Statistics, 2005 (NCES 2006–030), Chapter 3.

Current-fund expenditures per full-time equivalent student in degree-granting institutions, by type and control of institution: Selected years, 1970-71 to 2000-01 [In constant 2004-05 dollars]
Control of institution and year	All institutions	4-year institutions	2-year institutions
All institutions
1970-71	$16,741	$19,740	$11,227
1975-76	15,858	19,807	17,600
1980-81	16,072	20,055	18,173
1985-86	19,212	23,946	21,096
1990-91	20,946	26,417	25,041
1995-96	22,867	28,879	29,184
Public institutions
1970-71	14,610	17,945	10,120
1975-76	13,876	18,228	16,564
1980-81	14,086	18,454	16,823
1985-86	16,696	21,683	19,395
1990-91	17,606	23,169	23,245
1995-96	19,131	25,534	26,824
1999-2000	21,506	28,597	31,079
2000-01	22,559	30,625	32,589
Private institutions
1970-71	22,656	23,452	1,108
1975-76	22,461	23,281	1,037
1980-81	22,135	23,380	1,350
1985-86	26,584	28,615	1,702
1990-91	31,354	33,327	1,796
1995-96	34,079	35,466	2,360

NOTE: Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index, prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2006). Digest of Education Statistics, 2005 (NCES 2006-030), Table 339.

Related Tables and Figures:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 340. Current-fund expenditures and educational and general expenditures of degree-granting institutions, by purpose and per student: Selected years, 1929-30 through 1995-96
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 341. Current-fund expenditures of public degree-granting institutions, by purpose and type of institution: 2000-01
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 342. Current-fund expenditures of public degree-granting institutions, by purpose: Selected years, 1980-81 through 2000-01
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 343. Current-fund expenditures of public degree-granting institutions, by state or jurisdiction: Selected years, 1980-81 through 2000-01
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 344. Educational and general expenditures of public degree-granting institutions, by state or jurisdiction: Selected years, 1980-81 through 2000-01
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 345. Voluntary support for degree-granting institutions, by source and purpose of support: Selected years, 1959-60 through 2003-04
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 346. Total expenditures of private not-for-profit degree-granting institutions, by purpose and type of institution: 1996-97 through 2002-03
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 347. Total expenditures of private not-for-profit degree-granting institutions, by purpose and type of institution: 2002-03
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 348. Total expenditures of private for-profit degree-granting institutions, by purpose and type of institution: 2001-02 and 2002-03
• 2006, Digest of Education Statistics 2005, Table 349. Total expenditures of private not-for-profit and for-profit degree-granting institutions, by level and state or jurisdiction: 1996-97 through 2002-03

Other Resources:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2006, Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2004; Graduation Rates, 1998 & 2001 Cohorts; and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2004
• 2005, Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2003; Graduation Rates 1997 & 2000 Cohorts; and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2003
• 2004, Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2002 and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2002
• 2004, Federal Support for Education: Fiscal Years 1980 to 2003
• 2003, A Study of Higher Education Instructional Expenditures: The Delaware Study of Instructional Costs and Productivity
• 2003, Congressionally Mandated Studies of College Costs and Prices
• 2003, What Colleges Contribute: Institutional Aid to Full-Time Undergraduates Attending 4-Year Colleges and Universities