Grade Inflation: 5 States Where College Tuition Is Soaring

AnnaMaria Andriotis:

For parents concerned about the rising cost of college, financial advisers have traditionally recommended public universities. After all, they almost always carry much smaller price tags than private universities. But many of these state schools are now raising tuition at double-digit rates -- sometimes with very little advance notice -- leaving some students and their families in a tight financial bind.

In some states, recent changes have been particularly dramatic. Average tuition and fees for in-state residents at public four-year colleges soared 16% to 21% last year in Arizona, California, Georgia and Washington, according to a report released last week by the College Board. (The average increase at public colleges over the same period was 8.3%; none of the figures in the report were adjusted for inflation.) What's more, students in some of those states may see more hikes in the upcoming year: Washington recently approved a tuition increase at several of its public universities, while California students may face another double-digit increase in the second semester of this academic year. "The potential for this to get worse is very real," says Rich Williams, higher education advocate at U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at August 15, 2012 1:50 AM
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