College enrollment in the United States has been on a steady decline over the past several years. The number of undergraduates who matriculated at U.S. colleges and universities has fallen every fall for the last five years, declining from 29.5 million in 2011 to 27.4 million in 2015. One deciding factor in the increasingly popular decision not to attend college may the rising cost of tuition.
Over the past five years, the cost of in-state tuition in the United States rose by 13.5% on average, from $13,391 in the 2011-12 school year to $15,201 in the 2016-17 school year. In-state tuition at public, four-year universities rose by 17.7%, and at private, not-for-profit, four-year universities by 16.6%.
Among the primary factors affecting the price of tuition are rising student fees, declining state funding, and increasing enrollment of low-income students. Many of the colleges with the largest five-year tuition hikes are clustered in the South and are often mid-sized technical or religious universities.
To determine the colleges with the largest five-year tuition hikes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Four-year universities were ranked based on the change in their published in-state tuition from the 2011-12 school year to the 2016-17 school year. 24/7 Wall St. also interviewed Richard Reeves, branch chief for the postsecondary branch of NCES, for insight into where and why college tuition is rising.
Click here to see the colleges with the largest tuition hikes.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.
Source: shastacollege.edu
50. Shasta College, California
> 5-year tuition increase: 44.3%
> Tuition and fees: $1,183
> Annual net price: $7,537
> Total student population: 12,300
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Source: University of Hawai‘i News / YouTube
49. University of Hawaii-West Oahu, Hawaii
> 5-year tuition increase: 44.6%
> Tuition and fees: $7,440
> Annual net price: $8,522
> Total student population: 3,416
Source: Courtesy of Nebraska Christian College of Hope International University
48. Nebraska Christian College of Hope International University, Nebraska
> 5-year tuition increase: 44.6%
> Tuition and fees: $16,200
> Annual net price: $21,287
> Total student population: 146
Source: johnsonu.edu
47. Johnson University, Tennessee
> 5-year tuition increase: 44.9%
> Tuition and fees: $13,950
> Annual net price: $16,368
> Total student population: 991
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Source: KaraGrubis / iStock
46. Fort Lewis College, Colorado
> 5-year tuition increase: 44.9%
> Tuition and fees: $8,104
> Annual net price: $17,918
> Total student population: 4,086
Source: wnmu.edu
45. Western New Mexico University, New Mexico
> 5-year tuition increase: 46.6%
> Tuition and fees: $5,906
> Annual net price: $10,605
> Total student population: 3,263
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Source: Trident University International / YouTube
44. Trident University International, California
> 5-year tuition increase: 47.1%
> Tuition and fees: $9,000
> Annual net price: $13,175
> Total student population: 7,124
Source: washburn.edu
43. Washburn University, Kansas
> 5-year tuition increase: 47.1%
> Tuition and fees: $7,754
> Annual net price: $11,604
> Total student population: 6,711
Source: goutrgv.com
42. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas
> 5-year tuition increase: 47.8%
> Tuition and fees: $7,438
> Annual net price: $4,432
> Total student population: 27,811
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Source: tupungato / iStock
41. Drexel University, Pennsylvania
> 5-year tuition increase: 47.9%
> Tuition and fees: $51,030
> Annual net price: $39,021
> Total student population: 18,721
Source: riohondo.edu
40. Rio Hondo College, California
> 5-year tuition increase: 48.3%
> Tuition and fees: $1,360
> Annual net price: $7,420
> Total student population: 28,014
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Source: West Virginia University at Parkersburg / Facebook
39. West Virginia University at Parkersburg, West Virginia
> 5-year tuition increase: 49.2%
> Tuition and fees: $3,384
> Annual net price: $8,121
> Total student population: 3,349
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Source: dtcc.edu
38. Delaware Technical Community College-Terry, Delaware
> 5-year tuition increase: 49.3%
> Tuition and fees: $4,607
> Annual net price: $7,003
> Total student population: 18,957
Source: uttc.edu
37. United Tribes Technical College, North Dakota
> 5-year tuition increase: 49.9%
> Tuition and fees: $5,757
> Annual net price: $6,813
> Total student population: 547
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Source: Amerique / Wikimedia Commons
36. Saint Augustine College, Illinois
> 5-year tuition increase: 50.7%
> Tuition and fees: $13,200
> Annual net price: $6,889
> Total student population: 2,052
Source: Brent Stirton / Getty Images
35. Grambling State University, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 50.9%
> Tuition and fees: $7,371
> Annual net price: $17,239
> Total student population: 4,202
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Source: nsula.edu
34. Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 50.9%
> Tuition and fees: $7,620
> Annual net price: $11,567
> Total student population: 10,199
Source: Lsuaexpert / Wikimedia Commons
33. Louisiana State University-Alexandria, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 51.5%
> Tuition and fees: $6,668
> Annual net price: $7,981
> Total student population: 3,768
Source: sframephoto / iStock
32. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Tennessee
> 5-year tuition increase: 51.5%
> Tuition and fees: $12,724
> Annual net price: $20,780
> Total student population: 23,677
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Source: jenniferlinneaphotography / Flickr
31. Colorado State University-Pueblo, Colorado
> 5-year tuition increase: 51.8%
> Tuition and fees: $9,519
> Annual net price: $12,887
> Total student population: 6,683
Source: Fishepat000 / Wikimedia Commons
30. Baptist Bible College, Missouri
> 5-year tuition increase: 52.3%
> Tuition and fees: $10,536
> Annual net price: $13,894
> Total student population: 370
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Source: abpatriots.com
29. Arlington Baptist College, Texas
> 5-year tuition increase: 52.5%
> Tuition and fees: $11,500
> Annual net price: $14,803
> Total student population: 238
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Source: iaia.edu
28. Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development, New Mexico
> 5-year tuition increase: 52.6%
> Tuition and fees: $4,700
> Annual net price: $13,067
> Total student population: 743
Source: mwsu.edu
27. Midwestern State University, Texas
> 5-year tuition increase: 52.6%
> Tuition and fees: $8,620
> Annual net price: $9,777
> Total student population: 6,039
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Source: welch.edu
26. Welch College, Tennessee
> 5-year tuition increase: 53.9%
> Tuition and fees: $17,920
> Annual net price: $20,236
> Total student population: 358
Source: Stirlingrb / Wikimedia Commons
25. Louisiana Tech University, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 54.6%
> Tuition and fees: $9,117
> Annual net price: $9,497
> Total student population: 12,174
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Source: uas.alaska.edu
24. University of Alaska Southeast, Alaska
> 5-year tuition increase: 56.4%
> Tuition and fees: $8,415
> Annual net price: $8,719
> Total student population: 4,830
Source: lourdes.edu
23. Lourdes University, Ohio
> 5-year tuition increase: 56.5%
> Tuition and fees: $20,620
> Annual net price: $19,635
> Total student population: 1,348
Source: lsu.edu
22. Louisiana State University-Shreveport, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 59.0%
> Tuition and fees: $7,146
> Annual net price: $8,274
> Total student population: 3,466
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Source: Christopher Barth / Getty Images
21. Nicholls State University, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 61.3%
> Tuition and fees: $7,641
> Annual net price: $10,169
> Total student population: 6,454
Source: Larry Lamsa / Flickr
20. Northern New Mexico College, New Mexico
> 5-year tuition increase: 61.6%
> Tuition and fees: $4,560
> Annual net price: $6,271
> Total student population: 1,510
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Source: sgoodwin4813 / iStock
19. College of William and Mary, Virginia
> 5-year tuition increase: 61.7%
> Tuition and fees: $21,234
> Annual net price: $16,734
> Total student population: 6,890
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Source: methodistcol.edu
18. Methodist College, Illinois
> 5-year tuition increase: 62.1%
> Tuition and fees: $20,710
> Annual net price: $30,794
> Total student population: 708
Source: William Murphy / Flickr
17. University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 62.4%
> Tuition and fees: $8,284
> Annual net price: $9,145
> Total student population: 8,344
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Source: adams.edu
16. Adams State University, Colorado
> 5-year tuition increase: 62.7%
> Tuition and fees: $9,153
> Annual net price: $13,888
> Total student population: 2,685
Source: uno.edu
15. University of New Orleans, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 62.7%
> Tuition and fees: $8,484
> Annual net price: $9,428
> Total student population: 8,131
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Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty Images for BET
14. Prairie View A&M University, Texas
> 5-year tuition increase: 64.0%
> Tuition and fees: $10,059
> Annual net price: $9,813
> Total student population: 7,650
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Source: Edward H. Francis / Wikimedia Commons
13. Southern University at New Orleans, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 64.4%
> Tuition and fees: $6,421
> Annual net price: $5,909
> Total student population: 2,736
Source: University of Central Arkansas / Flickr
12. McNeese State University, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 66.8%
> Tuition and fees: $7,310
> Annual net price: $9,978
> Total student population: 8,361
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Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
11. Western State Colorado University, Colorado
> 5-year tuition increase: 68.0%
> Tuition and fees: $9,193
> Annual net price: $15,780
> Total student population: 3,268
Source: southeastern.edu
10. Southeastern Louisiana University, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 68.8%
> Tuition and fees: $7,773
> Annual net price: $10,850
> Total student population: 16,501
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Source: Jimmy Emerson, DVM / Flickr
9. New Mexico Highlands University, New Mexico
> 5-year tuition increase: 69.0%
> Tuition and fees: $5,550
> Annual net price: $9,783
> Total student population: 2,715
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Source: lsu.edu
8. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 70.2%
> Tuition and fees: $10,814
> Annual net price: $15,095
> Total student population: 27,720
Source: clintoncollege.edu
7. Clinton College, South Carolina
> 5-year tuition increase: 74.1%
> Tuition and fees: $7,894
> Annual net price: $10,431
> Total student population: 174
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Source: independence.edu
6. Independence University, Utah
> 5-year tuition increase: 75.7%
> Tuition and fees: $16,968
> Annual net price: $26,240
> Total student population: 9,880
Source: cleveland.edu
5. Cleveland University-Kansas City, Kansas
> 5-year tuition increase: 82.7%
> Tuition and fees: $14,840
> Annual net price: $37,161
> Total student population: 88
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Source: JMRosenfeld / Wikimedia Commons
4. Southern University and A&M College, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 83.9%
> Tuition and fees: $9,332
> Annual net price: $12,455
> Total student population: 11,717
Source: navajotech.edu
3. Navajo Technical University, New Mexico
> 5-year tuition increase: 92.0%
> Tuition and fees: $4,070
> Annual net price: $4,933
> Total student population: 2,284
Source: usao.edu
2. University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
> 5-year tuition increase: 92.3%
> Tuition and fees: $7,200
> Annual net price: $8,221
> Total student population: 968
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Source: Inhabitat / Flickr
1. University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana
> 5-year tuition increase: 94.3%
> Tuition and fees: $9,450
> Annual net price: $10,200
> Total student population: 17,975
Detailed Findings
Many universities have claimed to freeze their tuition, yet they have increased student fees for services typically covered by tuition. In a December 2017 interview with 24/7 Wall St., Richard Reeves, branch chief for the postsecondary branch of NCES, noted “Mandatory fees have grown.
About 20 years ago the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System just collected [data on] tuition and room and board, and now we have a whole host of acknowledged student expenditures that are packaged to the student.” While financial aid covers mandatory fees, a number of elective fees are not covered by grants or scholarships. Common fees charged to students include athletic events, student activities, and fees related to specific courses.
A lack of state funding also contributes to higher tuitions. In recent years, states such as Wisconsin, Louisiana, and Arizona have passed wide-reaching tax cuts that reduced the amount of funding available for higher education institutions. Louisiana has cut its budget for higher education in almost every year over the past decade and now spends $700 million less annually on its public schools than it did in 2008.
With lower funding, the cost of higher education is passed on to the student. Of the 35 public schools on this list, 10 are located in Louisiana. Another three are located in New Mexico, which cut funding for public higher education by more than $500 per student from 2016 to 2017. Many states reducing funding for higher education were those hit hardest by the Great Recession.
The increasing access of a college education to low-income students may also be increasing tuition costs. “We want more people to go to college, and we already have near saturation in the wealthiest categories,” Reeves said. The question becomes, “As we increase access to lower income people, how do we pay for that?” Tuition for low-income students is often subsidized by institutional grants and other tuition discounts, which are often funded by the tuition paid by other students. As the cost burden for higher education is spread among fewer students, the average cost of tuition increases.
A school with a large percentage increase in tuition may still be relatively affordable to attend. Haskell Indian Nations University, for example, does not charge tuition. The university is funded by the Bureau of Indian Education and only charges students a number of fees each semester that cover library, activities, the Little Nations Academic Center, internet usage, athletic events, and the fitness center. While that fee has more than doubled in the past five years, it remains at just $240 a semester.
At other schools, generous financial aid and scholarships may substantially reduce the actual cost of attendance. While nationwide the cost of tuition increased 13.5% over the past five years, the actual cost of attendance — the cost of tuition minus any federal, state, local, or institutional funding — rose a much lower 8.3%.
The discrepancy may be due to the increasing amount of financial aid that has become available to students in recent years. The average amount of federal, state, local, or institutional grant aid awarded to financial aid recipients in the United States rose by 12.8% over the past five years, from $6,838 in 2011-12 to $7,329 in 2016-17 — rising nearly as fast as tuition increased.
There are several schools where, despite a substantial increase in tuition, the actual cost of attendance declined. At Southern University at New Orleans, for example, the average net price of attendance for students who receive financial aid fell by 46.2% even as tuition increased by 64.4%.
Like in many schools where this was the case, the tuition hike was likely offset by an increase in available financial aid. The average amount of federal, state, local, and institutional grant money awarded to the average recipient at SUNO more than doubled, from $5,570 in 2011-12 to $19,755 in 2016-17. Other schools with rising tuition and falling cost of attendance include University of Alaska Southeast, Arlington Baptist College in Texas, and Saint Augustine College in Illinois.
Methodology
To determine the colleges with the largest tuition hikes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Four-year universities were ranked based on the change in published in-state tuition from the 2011-12 school year to the 2016-17 school year. Only four-year schools with data on average net price and published in-state tuition were considered. Of the 7,357 schools included in the NCES database, 2,049 met these criteria. Published in-state tuition is the price of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate students for the full academic year, and includes the tuition institutions charge the students who meet the state or institution’s residency requirements, and the required fees charged to a large proportion of students for items not covered by tuition. The average net price is for full-time, first-time undergraduates paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who received grant or scholarship aid from federal, state, local, or institutional sources, and is generated by subtracting the amount of aid from the total cost of attendance, which is the sum of published tuition, required fees, books and supplies, the average room and board, and other expenses. Yeshiva schools were not considered.
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