This is one of a series of data-driven interactive charts aimed at exploring recent US higher-education data and trends. The aim is not to explain but to highlight trends from the data and raise questions for further investigation. We have used publicly available data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard. Unless noted, we have looked at all active public and private nonprofit two- and four-year institutions from 2007 to 2017.
The sticker price for four-year colleges has increased substantially over the past decade, putting the affordability of higher education front and center. Yet the reality is that while sticker price has gone up 20 percent since 2007 (adjusting for inflation), the actual cost to attend for the two-thirds of students receiving grant aid or scholarships has risen 4 percent, or 0.4 percent a year. However, affordability is only one part of the equation. Students who successfully complete their degree open the door to more employment opportunities and increased earning potential. On this count, while college completion rates remain stagnant across the sector, a few institutions have managed to move the needle. To provide value to students, universities need to work on both sides of this equation, managing the net cost to attend while providing the education and support services students need to ensure completion.
Below we examine the relationship between cost to attend and completion at four-year public and private nonprofit colleges.