Over the decade from 2001-02 to 2011-12, published tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities increased at an average rate of 5.6% per year beyond the rate of general inflation.1
To deal with rising cost of college in this uncertain economic climate, more families are turning to lower-cost schools and seeking more financial aid in the form of grants and scholarships, according to Sallie Mae in its annual national survey, “How America Pays for College 2011” – now in its fourth year.
How the Average American Family Pays for College
In 2011, grants and scholarships made up 33 percent of the total amount used to meet college costs, up from 23 percent reported in 2010. Additionally, the proportion of families using grants increased substantially from 30% in 2010 to 46% in 2011. It’s not surprising given the substantial increase in federal Pell Grants over the past few years.
Average Published Tuition and Fees in Constant 2011 Dollars, 1981-82 to 2011-12
| ACADEMIC YEAR | PRIVATE NONPROFIT FOUR-YEAR | % CHANGE | PUBLIC FOUR-YEAR | % CHANGE | PUBLIC TWO-YEAR | % CHANGE |
| 1981-82 | $10,144 | | $2,242 | | $1,070 | |
| 1982-83 | $10,749 | 6.0% | $2,389 | 6.6% | $1,096 | 5.0% |
| 1983-84 | $11,518 | 7.1% | $2,596 | 8.7% | $1,194 | 6.0% |
| 1984-85 | $12,058 | 4.7% | $2,665 | 2.7% | $1,267 | 7.0% |
| 1985-86 | $12,828 | 6.4% | $2,762 | 3.6% | $1,343 | 5.0% |
| 1986-87 | $13,737 | 7.1% | $2,917 | 5.6% | $1,362 | 5.0% |
| 1987-88 | $13,992 | 1.9% | $2,948 | 1.1% | $1,467 | 4.0% |
| 1988-89 | $15,260 | 9.1% | $3,008 | 2.0% | $1,523 | 4.0% |
| 1989-90 | $15,733 | 3.1% | $3,080 | 2.4% | $1,527 | 2.0% |
| 1990-91 | $16,182 | 2.9% | $3,306 | 7.3% | $1,570 | 9.0% |
| 1991-92 | $16,276 | 0.6% | $3,495 | 5.7% | $1,942 | 7.0% |
| 1992-93 | $16,800 | 3.2% | $3,753 | 7.4% | $1,795 | 9.0% |
| 1993-94 | $17,221 | 2.5% | $3,966 | 5.7% | $1,948 | 1.0% |
| 1994-95 | $17,841 | 3.6% | $4,118 | 3.8% | $1,994 | 3.0% |
| 1995-96 | $18,097 | 1.4% | $4,164 | 1.1% | $1,970 | 3.0% |
| 1996-97 | $18,698 | 3.3% | $4,281 | 2.8% | $2,108 | 4.0% |
| 1997-98 | $19,404 | 3.8% | $4,379 | 2.3% | $2,206 | 3.0% |
| 1998-99 | $20,362 | 4.9% | $4,495 | 2.6% | $2,151 | 2.0% |
| 1999-00 | $21,031 | 3.3% | $4,556 | 1.4% | $2,235 | 1.0% |
| 2000-01 | $21,013 | -0.1% | $4,586 | 0.7% | $2,147 | |
| 2001-02 | $22,117 | 5.3% | $4,793 | 4.5% | $2,047 | -2.0% |
| 2002-03 | $22,655 | 2.4% | $5,141 | 7.2% | $2,100 | 3.0% |
| 2003-04 | $23,280 | 2.8% | $5,706 | 11.0% | $2,345 | 11.7% |
| 2004-05 | $23,910 | 2.7% | $6,114 | 7.2% | $2,480 | 5.7% |
| 2005-06 | $24,257 | 1.5% | $6,350 | 3.9% | $2,523 | 1.7% |
| 2006-07 | $24,766 | 2.1% | $6,443 | 1.5% | $2,516 | -0.3% |
| 2007-08 | $25,754 | 4.0% | $6,715 | 4.2% | $2,488 | -1.1% |
| 2008-09 | $25,859 | 0.4% | $6,770 | 0.8% | $2,436 | -2.1% |
| 2009-10 | $27,412 | 6.0% | $7,396 | 9.3% | $2,684 | 10.2% |
| 2010-11 | $28,254 | 3.1% | $7,889 | 6.7% | $2,825 | 5.3% |
| 2011-12 | $28,500 | 0.9% | $8,244 | 4.5% | $2,963 | 4.9% |
- Source: Trends in College Pricing [↩]