Public Four-Year Tuition and Fees Rose From $3,148 in 1976–77 to $9,750 in 2022–23, in Constant Dollars
The Fact
In constant 2022–23 dollars, average undergraduate tuition and required fees at public four-year institutions were $3,148 in 1976–77 and $9,750 in 2022–23. Tuition, fees, room, and board together rose from $9,881 to $22,389.
What This Means
Even after taking inflation out, public college tuition costs about three times what it did when the oldest Gen Xers were children.
Why It Matters
A summer job could once cover a big share of a year at a state school. The price grew much faster than the wages young people earn.
Sources
National Center for Education Statistics. Digest of Education Statistics, Table 330.10 (constant 2022–23 dollars). https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_330.10.asp