> Skip to content
FEATURED:
  • The Evolution of Race in Admissions
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
Sign In
ADVERTISEMENT
Access
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Show more sharing options
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Copy Link URLCopied!
  • Print

The College-Affordability Conundrum

By  Audrey Williams June
July 11, 2022

A recent survey of people’s attitudes on student loan-forgiveness revealed overwhelming support for something that’s often seen as an even deeper issue: making college more affordable.

Eighty-two percent of the roughly 1,000 survey respondents said the government should prioritize bringing down the cost of college. Student-loan holders felt the same: Nearly 60 percent of that group said the government should focus on making college more affordable for future students.

President Biden’s push for a federal free college program was ultimately

We’re sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network. Please make sure your computer, VPN, or network allows javascript and allows content to be delivered from c950.chronicle.com and chronicle.blueconic.net.

Once javascript and access to those URLs are allowed, please refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, contact us at 202-466-1032 or help@chronicle.com

A recent survey of people’s attitudes on student-loan forgiveness revealed overwhelming support for something that’s often seen as an even deeper issue: making college more affordable.

Eighty-two percent of the roughly 1,000 survey respondents said the government should make bringing down the cost of college a priority. Student-loan borrowers felt the same: Nearly 60 percent of that group said the government should focus on making college more affordable for future students.

President Biden’s push for a federal free-college program was ultimately stymied in Congress. Meanwhile some states have forged ahead with “College Promise” programs seeking to bring down the cost of tuition.

Private nonprofit colleges are often the poster children for rising college costs, and they have worked especially hard to persuade families that the sticker price isn’t necessarily what they will actually pay. Such colleges offer tuition discounts to entice students to enroll. In the 2020-21 academic year, the average tuition-discount rate for first-time undergraduates was 54.5 percent, a record high according to data from the National Association of College and University Business Officers.

Yet, college costs still hit low-income families the hardest. The National College Attainment Network’s latest analysis of college affordability showed that in 2018-19, in-state students at four-year public colleges who received average-size Pell Grants had unmet financial need that averaged roughly $2,500.

ADVERTISEMENT

For more about how college remains costly for many, even as an increasing number of states are offering free-college programs, see below:

ADVERTISEMENT


A version of this article appeared in the July 22, 2022, issue.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Access & AffordabilityData
Audrey Williams June
Audrey Williams June is the news-data manager at The Chronicle. She explores and analyzes data sets, databases, and records to uncover higher-education trends, insights, and stories. Email her at audrey.june@chronicle.com, or follow her on Twitter @audreywjune.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Explore
    • Get Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Blogs
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
    Explore
    • Get Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Blogs
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
  • The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Write for Us
    • Talk to Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Accessibility Statement
    The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Write for Us
    • Talk to Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
    Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2023 The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin