What are the trends in the cost of college education?

For the 2007–08 academic year, annual prices for undergraduate tuition, room, and board were estimated to be $11,578 at public institutions and $29,915 at private institutions. Between 1997–98 and 2007–08, prices for undergraduate tuition, room, and board at public institutions rose by 30 percent, and prices at private institutions rose by 23 percent, after adjustment for inflation.

Average undergraduate tuition and fees and room and board rates charged for full-time students in degree-granting institutions, by type and control of institution: Selected years, 1980-81 to 2007-08
Year and control of institution	All institutions	4-year institutions	2-year institutions
All institutions
1980–81	$3,101	$3,499	$2,230
1990–91	6,562	7,602	3,930
2000–01	10,818	12,922	5,460
2001–02	11,380	13,639	5,718
2002–03	12,014	14,439	6,252
2003–04	12,953	15,505	6,705
2004–05	13,792	16,509	7,086
2005–06	14,629	17,447	7,231
2006–07	15,483	18,471	7,466
2007–081	16,245	19,362	7,645
Public institutions
1980–81	$2,373	$2,550	$2,027
1990–91	4,757	5,243	3,467
2000–01	7,586	8,653	4,839
2001–02	8,022	9,196	5,137
2002–03	8,502	9,787	5,601
2003–04	9,247	10,674	6,012
2004–05	9,864	11,426	6,375
2005–06	10,454	12,108	6,492
2006–07	11,049	12,797	6,815
2007–081	11,578	13,424	6,966
Private institutions2
1980–81	$5,470	$5,594	$4,303
1990–91	12,910	13,237	9,302
2000–01	21,368	21,856	14,788
2001–02	22,413	22,896	15,825
2002–03	23,340	23,787	17,753
2003–04	24,624	25,069	19,558
2004–05	25,810	26,257	20,093
2005–06	26,889	27,317	21,170
2006–07	28,439	28,919	20,284
2007–081	29,915	30,393	21,712

 
¹Preliminary data based on fall 2006 enrollment weights.
 
²Because of their low response rate, data for private 2-year colleges must be interpreted with caution.

NOTE: Data are for the entire academic year and are average total charges for full-time attendance.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2009). Digest of Education Statistics, 2008 (NCES 2009-020), Table 331.
Related Tables and Figures:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2009, Digest of Education Statistics 2008, Table 332. Average undergraduate tuition and fees and room and board rates charged for full-time students in degree-granting institutions, by type and control of institution and state or jurisdiction: 2006–07 and 2007–08
• 2009, Digest of Education Statistics 2008, Table 333. Undergraduate tuition and fees and room and board rates for full-time students in degree-granting institutions, by percentile of charges and control and type of institution: 2000–01 through 2007–08
• 2009, Digest of Education Statistics 2008, Table 334. Average graduate and first-professional tuition and required fees in degree-granting institutions, by first-professional discipline and control of institution: 1987–88 through 2007–08
• 2007, The Condition of Education 2007: Total and Net Access Price of Attending a Postsecondary Institution
• 2007, The Condition of Education: Total and Net Access Price for Graduate and First-Professional Students
• 2004, The Condition of Education 2004: Paying for college

Other Resources:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2009, 2007–08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study NPSAS:04): Undergraduate Data Analysis System
• 2009, 2007–08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04): Graduate Data Analysis System
• 2009, 2007–08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:08): Student Financial Aid Estimates for 2007–08
• 2005, Changes in Patterns of Prices and Financial Aid
• 2003, Congressionally Mandated Studies of College Costs and Prices
• 2002, What Students Pay for College: Changes in Net Price of College Attendance Between 1992-93 and 1999-2000