Super fact 92 : College tuition and fees increased by 207% between 1997 and 2022, which corresponds to a tripling. Since 2022 it has continued to increase. Adjusted for inflation this corresponds to a 60% increase, more than any other major economic sector.
To read about the graph above in greater detail click here. To read more about the increase in college tuition click here, here, here, or here. To calculate the inflation for different periods of time click here (the inflation calculator).
It should be noted in the graphs above that Televisions have decreased in price by 98%, which seems implausible. However, it is not an April 1st joke. It is not April 1st in Texas yet (where I live). The reason for the large decline in price of Televisions is that quality is taken into account. 20 years ago, you could not easily buy the kind of TVs you can today and if you did you would cost you an enormous amount of money. You get a lot more for a few hundred bucks than you did 20 years ago.
This is a superfact because it is true, shocking, and important to how we live.
Why have college Tuition become so expensive?
College tuition has increased so much due to administrative bloat, increased student loan availability, declining state funding for public institutions, and heavy spending on amenities to attract students.
An example of heavy spending on amenities is college sports. I studied at a university called Uppsala University, which is a very large University founded in 1477. It is considered one of the world’s top Universities (top 50). However, they do not have any competitive teams associated with the University itself. In 1987 I was sent as an exchange student (electrical engineering) to Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, Ohio. Case Western Reserve University has some competitive teams associated with the University but only a small college football stadium.
However, I quickly came to realize that many American universities have huge college football and baseball stadiums. This is an added expense that you rarely encounter in the rest of the world. Universities are for studies and for learning. Sports teams, whether it is soccer, or American football is a separate issue.
To see the other Super Facts click here
Super Facts 
And we still have college grads who can’t write a proper sentence.
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You are right prices have gone up but not the quality. Luckily I don’t know any college grads who can’t write a proper sentence.
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Being a parent and having teenagers… Couldn’t have agreed more ⭐︎
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Yes same here Aparna. It is not fair to lower income parents to have to pay these kind of prices.
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Wow, what an interesting post! Intriguing that college sports is a huge source of expenditure -I had no idea!
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I should say many colleges make money from their college sports but most athletic departments do not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, which shows up in everyone’s tuiton. In Europe, like Uppsala University sports is typically not University business. University tuition is also typically covered by the government. I did not pay (or my parents) did not pay a cent in tuition. When I became a graduate student at Case Western Reserve University, Sweden initially paid for me, and then the Department of Energy (because I did research for them), so I never paid a cent. That is not the case for most students.
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Excellent post, Thomas. The facts you present are stunning. My grandson once complained that he had to take his BA final exam in a classroom. All his prior assignments/lectures/etc. were virtual. I told him that I had never had a virtual class and earned all my degrees sitting in a classroom. He was shocked.
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Thank you so much Gwen. The same is true for me, I earned all my degrees sitting in a classroom. I guess our experience is a super fact to the young generation.
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Tuition is nuts now. I thought my two years at a “big name” school were expensive in the late 80s, but that was nothing compared to now; I just looked and that school’s estimated yearly tuition is now four times what it was when I was there. I was fortunately able to pay it off within a couple of years of graduation. (I had scholarships that covered the other two years in full.) I don’t know how anyone affords it anymore.
Also, the kind of money colleges spend on sports is stupid. I know they claim it attracts donations, but still. And now the kinds of attacks universities are under from our own government would be a whole new level of stupid, if it weren’t so obviously calculated to destroy the system at a fundamental level.
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Like you say many colleges make money from their college sports but most athletic departments do not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, which shows up in everyone’s tuiton. In Europe, like Uppsala University sports is typically not University business.
A four times increase at your college is crazy. I never paid a cent in tuition. In Europe University tuition is typically covered by the government. When I became a graduate student at Case Western Reserve University, Sweden initially paid for me, and then the Department of Energy (because I did research for them) paid for me, so I never paid a cent. That is not the case for most students who have to pay hefty tuition (or their parents do).
You are right, universities are under attack from our own government, and I wonder where that will lead.
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Lulu: “Whew, good thing Mama and Dada don’t have to send us off to college to get an education so we can get jobs!”Java Bean: “Sí! Instead, we will just continue to sponge off them for our entire lives.”
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Lulu and Java Bean, that reminds me of when my younger son was in first grade. As he was going to school he pointed to our Labrador Baylor and cried “Baylor does not have to go to school, it is not fair”. Dogs get a good deal that way. However, you may have to go to dog training. Our dog Rollo is going to dog training on Friday.
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I’m 67 and still paying off my student loan, Thomas. It’s crazy expensive to get educated in this country, and sad that so many young people who’d like to go to college are skipping it for economic reasons. Thanks for sharing the statistics and some of the reasons for the high cost.
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I am sorry to hear that Diane. Sweden paid for my tuition in both Sweden and the United States at Case Western Reserve University (they also paid for room and board at CWRU) and once I became a PhD student the Department of Energy paid for it. I paid no tuition. I was very lucky. It is much tougher for American students including my children. It is very sad when young people skip college for economic reasons.
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Sweden is looking better and better these days, Thomas. I should have mine paid off when I’m about 70. Whew.
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That is a lifelong burden people don’t need. I am sorry about that.
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Hi Diana, I am shocked you are still paying off a student loan
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I agree with Robbie. That is not fair.
There are student loans in Sweden too, which students take/need to cover living expenses (not tuition) or when studying abroad in programs not paid by the Swedish government (mine was). The interest for those are lower than inflation (1% in 2024, 2% in 2025) whilst the interest on students loans here is 6% to 9%. In addition, the Swedish student loans have a maximum age (they are forgiven at 68 / but 50 when I was young) and can also be forgiven for other reasons. It is much tougher over here. Our kids actually considered studying in Sweden instead of the US (which they are allowed to do being Swedish citizens).
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I would have chose Sweden. I love that part of Europe 💖
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It was too cold and dark for my wife
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Okay, I understand
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I know. It’s ridiculous. My undergrad is paid off. This is my graduate degree loan that I took out about 35 years ago. A few more years and it will be done!
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I think it is terrible you are still paying a loan after 35 years. I was very lucky. My loan was tiny as I had full academic scholarships that covered nearly everything for me. I did have to maintain an aggregate of over 75% for all my courses.
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I have read that education in the USA is very expensive. This is very unfortunate for young people who want to get a degree especially if the degree doesn’t result in a big money spinning job.
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Yes, there are many great things about the US but the high tuition (and increasing tuition) is an issue typically parents have to deal with, and kids without well off parents suffer. In Sweden, the view is that getting an education for kids is an investment for all of society.
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Sweden has the right attitude. It should be about academic performance and aptitude not money.
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Yes that is the thinking. If you let talented and hard working kids study, everyone benefit.
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I agree 🩵
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interesting – wondering how all this also figures into how so few things can be repaired anymore to where it’s not just cheaper to buy new. thinking especially how car windows fracture much faster now & car paint no longer just fade, it peels quicker than ever…
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That is a good question. A big reason some products have gotten cheaper is to a large extent that certain technology like computer chips and other intergrated circuits have gotten smaller, cheaper, much faster and can hold much more memory. This makes it so that computer hardware and TVs that would have cost like a house 30 years ago now cost a few hundred dollars. However, along with that are features that you mention that have not improved much and perhaps have gotten (intentionally) worse. How have that influenced the consumer price index? I don’t know.
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for sure it influences our disposable culture becoming ever more disposable…
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Yes, the disposable culture causes a hidden cost to the environment, and the loss of resources that are not renewable. This is not included in the price of products.
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