Adding it all up

While you can’t put a price tag on the value of education, it’s a no-brainer that college isn’t cheap.

The following figures come from the National Center for Education Statistics’ The Condition of Education report, updated in March 2018.

The average cost for first-time, full-time undergraduate students entering a public four-year university for the 2016-17 school year was $24,000 for freshmen living off campus, $23,700 on campus and $14,700 for those living with family. This includes tuition, fees, books and supplies, along with room and board.

The stats for two-year public institutions are about a quarter to a third cheaper: $17,400 for first-year students living off campus, $14,700 on campus and $9,000 for those living with family.

Tuition has climbed over the years: at four-year schools, the average cost in 2016-17 was $8,800, 12 percent higher than in 2010-11 ($7,900). For two-year schools, the cost was 17 percent higher ($3,500 vs. $3,000).