OCT 31 - Tuition costs at public colleges rose more rapidly last year than at any time over the past three decades, according to a new report by the College Board, which collects data from more than 4,000 institutions, public and private. After adjusting for inflation, costs were up 13 percent for the year and 47 percent for the past decade for public institutions.
The annual report said tuition and fees also rose substantially last year at private colleges and universities but at a slower rate than in the public sector. If room and board costs are included, the average student now pays $26,854 a year to attend a private university, and $10,636 to attend a public university in his own state.
According to the College Board, the 13 percent real increase in tuition at public colleges last year was “the highest in at least three decades.” It followed an inflation-adjusted increase of 8 percent the previous year, “a growth rate that had not been seen for 20 years.”
The College Board survey suggests that the rise of tuition costs has been particularly rapid in mid-Atlantic and midwestern states, as universities scramble to plug deficits caused by declining state appropriations. The University of Maryland increased its prices by 21 percent last year and has proposed an 11 percent increase for next year. Costs at the University of Virginia are nearly 30 percent higher than they were last fall.
David Ward, president of the American Council of Education, which represents higher education institutions, described the findings as “troublesome” but said they did not tell the whole story. He noted that student aid levels have also risen to a record $105 billion, and the net price of attending a four-year public college after grants and loans is around $1,700. Posted on: 2003-10-30 10:30

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