College facts & stats

Question 1

For 2025-26, about what is average published tuition and fees at a public four-year college, in-state?

Accepted Answer

$11,950. That's up $340 from the year before, a 2.9% increase before adjusting for inflation.

Question 2

For 2025-26, about what is average published tuition and fees at a private nonprofit four-year college?

Accepted Answer

$45,000. Private college sticker prices rose about 4.0% before adjusting for inflation that year.

Question 3

For 2025-26, about what is average published tuition and fees at a public two-year community college?

Accepted Answer

$4,150. Community college remains by far the cheapest path to a degree, though prices have crept up here too.

Question 4

Between 1994 and 2024, whose family income grew faster after adjusting for inflation?

Accepted Answer

58% (top) vs 33% (bottom). The income gap between the highest- and lowest-earning families has been widening for three decades.

Question 5

Between fall 2019 and fall 2023, how did enrollment at public two-year community colleges change?

Accepted Answer

down about 587,000 students. The sector was hit hardest by the pandemic, though it partly recovered between 2022 and 2023.

The basics