For-profit institutions were by far the most tuition-dependent sector in the 2017 fiscal year, relying on that money for about 90 percent of overall revenue. Four-year private nonprofit institutions relied on tuition and fees for about 30 percent of their revenue, and four-year public institutions for under 22 percent. Public institutions spent more than $107 billion on instruction in the 2017 fiscal year, private nonprofit institutions spent more than $62 billion, and for-profit institutions spent nearly $3.9 billion. Two-year private nonprofit institutions were the only sector in which total expenses exceeded total revenue in the 2017 fiscal year.
4-year public institutions (695 colleges)
| Operating revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Tuition and fees | $66,341,545,205 | 21.8% |
| Federal grants and contracts | $25,156,259,908 | 8.2% |
| State grants and contracts | $5,783,098,837 | 1.9% |
| Local and private grants and contracts | $12,741,850,794 | 4.2% |
| Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises | $25,907,951,572 | 8.5% |
| Sales and services of hospitals | $46,018,032,429 | 15.1% |
| Sales and services of educational activities | $10,000,476,237 | 3.3% |
| Independent operations | $1,596,210,852 | 0.5% |
| Other operating revenue | $7,718,268,859 | 2.5% |
| Total operating revenue | $201,263,694,693 | 66.0% |
| | | |
| Nonoperating revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Federal appropriations | $423,683,315 | 0.1% |
| State appropriations | $52,086,152,539 | 17.1% |
| Local appropriations | $1,188,736,736 | 0.4% |
| Federal grants | $11,326,359,144 | 3.7% |
| State grants | $3,190,486,402 | 1.0% |
| Local grants | $230,855,234 | 0.1% |
| Gifts | $7,504,167,185 | 2.5% |
| Investment income | $9,705,902,751 | 3.2% |
| Other nonoperating revenue | $5,036,641,563 | 1.7% |
| Total nonoperating revenue | $90,692,984,869 | 29.7% |
| | | |
| Additions and other revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Capital appropriations | $4,612,142,759 | 1.5% |
| Capital grants and gifts | $3,294,309,647 | 1.1% |
| Additions to permanent endowments | $972,579,778 | 0.3% |
| Other revenues and additions | $4,167,479,314 | 1.4% |
| Total other | $13,046,511,498 | 4.3% |
| Total revenue | $305,003,191,060 | 100.0% |
| | | |
| Expenditures | Amount | Share of net total |
| Instruction | $85,225,536,533 | 29.2% |
| Research | $34,903,161,790 | 12.0% |
| Public service | $14,014,566,514 | 4.8% |
| Academic support | $24,573,292,131 | 8.4% |
| Student services | $14,347,793,157 | 4.9% |
| Institutional support | $22,278,502,394 | 7.6% |
| Scholarships and fellowships | $10,518,449,780 | 3.6% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $29,734,484,070 | 10.2% |
| Hospital services | $45,016,461,960 | 15.4% |
| Independent operations | $1,681,319,662 | 0.6% |
| Other expenditures | $9,524,420,230 | 3.3% |
| Total expenditures | $291,817,988,221 | 100.0% |
4-year private nonprofit institutions (1,554 colleges)
| Revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Tuition and fees | $73,246,461,345 | 30.3% |
| Federal appropriations, grants, and contracts | $19,146,148,865 | 7.9% |
| State appropriations, grants, and contracts | $1,576,231,469 | 0.7% |
| Local appropriations, grants, and contracts | $522,792,125 | 0.2% |
| Private gifts, grants, and contracts | $26,058,508,993 | 10.8% |
| Contributions from affiliated entities | $2,317,944,196 | 1.0% |
| Investment return | $48,821,885,697 | 20.2% |
| Educational activities | $7,511,282,774 | 3.1% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $17,964,009,572 | 7.4% |
| Hospitals | $26,730,793,938 | 11.1% |
| Independent operations | $6,066,016,351 | 2.5% |
| Other revenue | $11,721,257,619 | 4.8% |
| Total revenue | $241,683,332,944 | 100.0% |
| | | |
| Expenditures | Amount | Share of net total |
| Instruction | $61,858,310,915 | 31.5% |
| Research | $20,973,606,568 | 10.7% |
| Public service | $2,873,769,728 | 1.5% |
| Academic support | $16,053,237,566 | 8.2% |
| Student services | $16,549,729,095 | 8.4% |
| Institutional support | $25,482,951,604 | 13.0% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $17,194,888,456 | 8.8% |
| Net grant aid to students | $942,415,180 | 0.5% |
| Hospital services | $23,966,116,906 | 12.2% |
| Independent operations | $5,655,027,127 | 2.9% |
| Other expenditures | $4,732,683,920 | 2.4% |
| Total expenditures | $196,282,737,065 | 100.0% |
4-year for-profit institutions (447 colleges)
| Revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Tuition and fees | $11,582,906,685 | 91.9% |
| Federal appropriations, grants, and contracts | $362,970,257 | 2.9% |
| State and local appropriations, grants, and contracts | $26,894,555 | 0.2% |
| Private grants and contracts | $11,585,566 | 0.1% |
| Investment return | $32,044,116 | 0.3% |
| Educational activities | $175,027,654 | 1.4% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $208,321,225 | 1.7% |
| Other revenue | $205,748,758 | 1.6% |
| Total revenue | $12,605,498,816 | 100.0% |
| | | |
| Expenditures | | |
| Instruction | $2,959,426,735 | 25.9% |
| Research and public service | $15,090,478 | 0.1% |
| Academic and institutional support, and student services | $7,394,894,680 | 64.8% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $259,101,924 | 2.3% |
| Net grant aid to students | $23,200,026 | 0.2% |
| Other expenditures | $768,468,015 | 6.7% |
| Total expenditures | $11,420,181,858 | 100.0% |
2-year public institutions (867 colleges)
| Operating revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Tuition and fees | $9,099,816,133 | 17.1% |
| Federal grants and contracts | $1,434,081,711 | 2.7% |
| State grants and contracts | $1,766,127,822 | 3.3% |
| Local and private grants and contracts | $493,296,928 | 0.9% |
| Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises | $1,493,790,027 | 2.8% |
| Sales and services of hospitals | $0 | 0.0% |
| Sales and services of educational activities | $138,003,963 | 0.3% |
| Independent operations | $0 | 0.0% |
| Other operating revenue | $741,819,226 | 1.4% |
| Total operating revenue | $15,166,935,810 | 28.5% |
| | | |
| Nonoperating revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Federal appropriations | $33,245,464 | 0.1% |
| State appropriations | $13,560,890,433 | 25.5% |
| Local appropriations | $10,720,953,040 | 20.1% |
| Federal grants | $8,231,230,239 | 15.5% |
| State grants | $1,832,573,511 | 3.4% |
| Local grants | $159,108,690 | 0.3% |
| Gifts | $268,349,621 | 0.5% |
| Investment income | $217,751,300 | 0.4% |
| Other nonoperating revenue | $773,862,660 | 1.5% |
| Total nonoperating revenue | $35,797,964,958 | 67.3% |
| | | |
| Additions and other revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Capital appropriations | $1,540,970,316 | 2.9% |
| Capital grants and gifts | $356,953,536 | 0.7% |
| Additions to permanent endowments | $12,793,180 | 0.0% |
| Other revenues and additions | $334,631,103 | 0.6% |
| Total other | $2,245,348,135 | 4.2% |
| Total revenue | $53,210,248,903 | 100.0% |
| | | |
| Expenditures | Amount | Share of net total |
| Instruction | $22,079,207,636 | 42.6% |
| Research | $27,305,812 | 0.1% |
| Public service | $757,782,270 | 1.5% |
| Academic support | $4,565,474,917 | 8.8% |
| Student services | $5,795,173,969 | 11.2% |
| Institutional support | $8,114,540,579 | 15.7% |
| Scholarships and fellowships | $4,681,131,564 | 9.0% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $2,100,598,978 | 4.1% |
| Hospital services | $0 | 0.0% |
| Independent operations | $0 | 0.0% |
| Other expenditures | $3,672,593,855 | 7.1% |
| Total expenditures | $51,793,809,580 | 100.0% |
2-year private nonprofit institutions (97 colleges)
| Revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Tuition and fees | $658,921,800 | 79.4% |
| Federal appropriations, grants, and contracts | $38,067,588 | 4.6% |
| State appropriations, grants, and contracts | $5,254,487 | 0.6% |
| Local appropriations, grants, and contracts | $332,303 | 0.0% |
| Private gifts, grants, and contracts | $22,153,221 | 2.7% |
| Contributions from affiliated entities | $18,099,900 | 2.2% |
| Investment return | $14,607,596 | 1.8% |
| Educational activities | $5,011,647 | 0.6% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $40,256,102 | 4.9% |
| Hospitals | $0 | 0.0% |
| Independent operations | $0 | 0.0% |
| Other revenue | $27,245,184 | 3.3% |
| Total revenue | $829,949,828 | 100.0% |
| | | |
| Expenditures | Amount | Share of net total |
| Instruction | $254,819,789 | 29.6% |
| Research | $1,160,366 | 0.1% |
| Public service | $1,357,834 | 0.2% |
| Academic support | $103,613,876 | 12.0% |
| Student services | $215,729,494 | 25.1% |
| Institutional support | $187,028,258 | 21.7% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $37,219,211 | 4.3% |
| Net grant aid to students | $1,180,104 | 0.1% |
| Hospital services | $0 | 0.0% |
| Independent operations | $0 | 0.0% |
| Other expenditures | $58,022,113 | 6.7% |
| Total expenditures | $860,131,045 | 100.0% |
2-year for-profit institutions (478 colleges)
| Revenue | Amount | Share of net total |
| Tuition and fees | $2,701,216,658 | 89.7% |
| Federal appropriations, grants, and contracts | $152,441,012 | 5.1% |
| State and local appropriations, grants, and contracts | $12,233,358 | 0.4% |
| Private grants and contracts | $982,212 | 0.0% |
| Investment return | $6,865,534 | 0.2% |
| Educational activities | $23,087,557 | 0.8% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $36,134,938 | 1.2% |
| Other revenue | $77,412,754 | 2.6% |
| Total revenue | $3,010,374,023 | 100.0% |
| | | |
| Expenditures | Amount | Share of net total |
| Instruction | $913,717,728 | 30.8% |
| Research and public service | $1,904,430 | 0.1% |
| Academic and institutional support, and student services | $1,570,492,910 | 52.9% |
| Auxiliary enterprises | $57,077,251 | 1.9% |
| Net grant aid to students | $2,223,015 | 0.1% |
| Other expenditures | $424,205,493 | 14.3% |
| Total expenditures | $2,969,620,827 | 100.0% |
Note: Data are based on degree-granting institutions in the United States that receive Title IV federal student aid. Because revenue and expenditure categories would not be comparable, the table excludes 14 four-year public institutions and three two-year public institutions that use a different accounting method from other public institutions. The 14 omitted four-year institutions, which include Pennsylvania State University at University Park, Temple University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Pittsburgh’s five campuses, together reported $3.7 billion in tuition and fees and $13.7 billion in total revenue for the 2017 fiscal year, along with $12.2 billion in expenses.
The figures for tuition and fees, which exclude room and board, are net after discounts and allowances. Federal nonoperating grants include Pell Grants. Expenditures for instruction, research, public service, academic and institutional support, and student services include wages and benefits to employees in those areas. “Student services” include admissions, financial-aid administration, career guidance, and student activities. “Educational activities” include sales of goods and services incidental to instruction, like film rentals, scientific and literary publications, and testing services. “Auxiliary enterprises” include residence halls, food services, employee parking, student unions, and college stores.
Appropriations, gifts, grants, and other revenues are counted for the current year regardless of whether their use is restricted. Percentages have been rounded. Questions or comments on the Almanac should be sent to Ruth Hammond.
Source: Chronicle analysis of U.S. Department of Education data
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