In 2020-21, public four-year colleges saw the lowest increase in tuition and fees in three decades amid the pandemic, a report by the College Board revealed.
The average increases of 1.1 percent for in-state students in public four-year colleges (from $10,440 in 2019-20 to $10,560 in 2020-21) and 2.1 percent for students at private nonprofit four-year institutions (from $36,880 to $37,650 in the same period) have been the lowest since 1990-91, the data found.
Meanwhile, the report said, the average increase in tuition and fees for in-district students at public two-year colleges was 1.9 percent, from $3,700 in 2019-20 to $3,770 in 2020-21.
“In 14 states, the average public two-year in-district tuition and fees did not increase in 2020-21. In 10 states, the average public four-year in-state tuition and fees did not increase,” said Jennifer Ma, senior policy research scientist at College Board and co-author of the report.
“Institutions are recognizing the struggles students and families face in paying for college, especially during a pandemic,” she added.
Borrowings Decline for Ninth Consecutive Year
The data also revealed that the undergraduate borrowing in 2019-20 declined for the ninth consecutive year and total grant aid continued to see a tepid growth.
The total annual student borrowing (including federal and nonfederal loans) was $102 billion in 2019-20, while it was $128.9 billion (adjusted for inflation) in 2009-10, a decline of 21 percent.
Total grant aid, meanwhile, from all sources saw an increase of 24 percent after adjusting for inflation, from $114.1 billion (adjusted for inflation) in 2009-10 to $140.9 billion in 2019-20.
Among the total grants, the report added, institutional grant aid increased by $27.1 billion (65 percent) while Pell grants declined by $7.9 billion (22 percent) during the period.
“The most recent data show that since 2010-11 total annual undergraduate borrowing has been declining, both at the aggregate level and on a per-student basis,” said Matea Pender, policy research scientist at the College Board and co-author of the report.
The report’s authors, however, cautioned against making a conclusion about the full impact of the economic relief on higher education on students’ borrowing.