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UPDATED: New State Report Cards Illustrate Effects Of Disinvestment In Public Higher Education

Please note: An earlier version of this press release said that “tuition at 4-year public colleges and universities has gone up 37 percent, which is three times the rate of inflation.” This was incorrect: tuition at 4-year public colleges and universities has gone up 28 percent, which is two times the rate of inflation, according to our calculations of data from the College Board’s Trends in Pricing.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 5, 2015

 

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UPDATED: New State Report Cards Illustrate Effects Of Disinvesment In Public Higher Education 

 

 
[WASHINGTON]— Ahead of the 2015 state legislative sessions, Young Invincibles analyzed several government and education datasets to assess the impact of state disinvestment in public higher education across the country. The results are striking. More than 30 states received an “F” in appropriations for higher education, while nearly 20 states received an “F” in tuition.

 

In fact, we found that 47 states spend less per student today than they did before the Great Recession. Meanwhile, tuition at 4-year public universities has increased by 28 percent – two times the rate of inflation.

 

“State disinvestment in higher education has caused student loan debt to be the fastest growing form of consumer debt in the country. As states turn the page on the Great Recession and their revenue increases, they must invest in higher education and make college more affordable,” said Policy and Research Manager Tom Allison.

 

An overview of our state report card findings can be found here. Please be in touch if you would like to speak with one of our policy experts.

 

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