November 7, 2008

Student Aid Is Up, but the Rise in College Costs Outpaces Family Incomes

By BECKIE SUPIANO

College prices rose only slightly faster than inflation for the 2008-9 academic year, but that may say more about the American economy's steeper prices for everything than it does about college costs. Tuition and fees rose between 4.5 percent and 6.5 percent for various types of institutions, similar to previous years, but a 5.6-percent increase in the Consumer Price Index means that tuition growth was less than 1 percent in constant dollars.

Meanwhile, more student aid is available

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