Financing higher education for a growing number of young men and women in the face of steadily rising costs is becoming a crucial problem in the United States. This report is concerned with one major aspects of the problem: namely, what it costs students to attend college and where they get the money for this purpose. Next to the student and his family, those who finance, govern, and administer colleges and universities are most concerned lest the spiraling costs make it necessary to continue raising tuition and fees until the usual clientele of an institution can no longer attend it. These persons are equally concerned that increased living costs at college may have the same effect. Within limitations set by an expanding economy, both those who provide education and those who acquire it want to know the extent to which these increasing costs are inevitable and the bearing they may have on some of the cherished ideals of the American way of life. In an effort to throw some light on the character of the costs students incur in attending college and on their sources of income for this purpose, the United States Office of Education in 1953 studied the problem as it was faced by full-time, single undergraduate students in 110 colleges that are located in 41 of the 48 States and the District of Columbia. This report presents an analysis of the data obtained from replies to a questionnaire received from 15,316 students, a random sampling of those attending what is believed to be a reasonably representative group of institutions of higher education. The implications of the findings should be of use to students and parents, to those who govern and administer colleges, to public and private agencies, and to individuals who provide financial assistance to college students, to taxpayers, and to those who voluntarily aid in the support of higher education in this country. A bibliography is included. The following are appended: (1) Schedule for Gathering Data; (2) Data Arranged by Cooperating Institutions; and (3) How the Study was Conducted. (Contains 15 tables, 12 figures, and 6 footnotes.) [The following provided assistance in the preparation of this bulletin: Granville K. Thompson, Robert E. Iffert, James A. Van Zwoll, Henry M. Bain, Jr., and Fred J. Kelly. Best copy available has been provided.