Analysis finds that out-of-pocket college costs are unaffordable for low-income Californians, and often more so at the state's community colleges where tuition is low. This analysis is the third in a series, and is the first to look at affordability challenges of students in different living arrangements. [Debbie Cochrane and Oliver Schak made…

Analysis of tuition and fees at public colleges and universities in Virginia must include a discussion of the funding received from the General Assembly. The period covered by this report represents a particularly complicated scenario that impacted not just higher education but all entities that receive general fund tax dollars in Virginia. The…

The constitution and statutes of Nebraska assign the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education the responsibility for comprehensive planning for postsecondary education in Nebraska. The purpose of the "Comprehensive Plan for Postsecondary Education" is to provide direction for the future of postsecondary education in Nebraska.…

This report serves as a comprehensive resource of accurate and timely indicators of higher education performance in Minnesota. This report provides historical and national comparisons to contextualize state data. "Minnesota Measures" also offers Minnesota postsecondary peer institution comparisons. As possible, indicators are…

Ten states, beginning with Texas and California in 2001, have passed laws permitting undocumented students to pay the in-state tuition rate--rather than the more expensive out-of-state tuition rate--at public universities and colleges. We exploit state-time variation in the passage of the laws to evaluate the effects of these laws on the…

On July 28, the Governor signed legislation making significant revisions to the 2009-10 state budget. The revised budget allocates $85 billion in State General Fund spending, down from the $92 billion in the budget approved by the Governor and Legislature in February. This budget revision also captures some savings from the just-completed 2008-09…

The State University System has low tuition and fees for resident undergraduates compared to public universities nationally. But just how low is tuition in Florida compared to other states? The answer varies slightly between the two commonly-cited surveys of tuition and fees, although both agree that Florida is among the least expensive states.…

This report describes recent changes in the tuition and fee policies of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) and the compliance of 1994-95 tuition rates with CCHE policy and state legislation requirements. In May 1994, the Colorado General Assembly passed House Bill 94-1362, directing CCHE to adopt policies concerning mandatory…

The simple abolition of university fees in Australia has failed to meet its stated objective of equalizing access to higher education and should be reinstated, with financial assistance available to qualified students unable to pay. (MSE)

The costs to students and to the state of South Carolina of public senior colleges and universities are considered, along with tuition and fee policies in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states, and state support for higher education in the SREB states. Most SREB states have experienced tuition and required fee increases over the past…

The development of indicators of the price of tuition, room, and board at U.S. colleges during academic years 1972-1973 through 1979-1980 is discussed. Attention is directed to purposes and premises of the indicators, basic concepts of price and student expenses, major implications and indications evaluated during 1972-1980, and future research…

The authors argue that a recently proposed Minnesota policy for implementing full-cost tuition in selected practitioner master's degree programs in state institutions is counterproductive. The proposed policy is examined as a case study of probable supply and demand effects on student enrollments and institutional vitality. (Author/MSE)

A study of college affordability compared changes in family income, Pell grants, Stafford loans, and state grants with changes in the average costs of public two- and four-year colleges. It concluded that both sectors became more affordable to low- and middle-income families in the 1970s but less affordable in the 1980s. (Author/DB)

Inadequate financial support for higher education is not due to a poor economy or lack of tax dollars, but to the low priority given to higher education by state legislatures. The issue at state and institutional levels is not low or high tuition but finding a planning model that integrates tuition income, tax support, and student aid. (MSE)

The Advisory Commission for the Study of Public Support for Postsecondary Education in Maine reviewed the financial problems facing Maine's private higher education institutions and the impact of increasing student costs at Maine's public institutions. The text of the state legislation creating the Commission is presented, along with a summary of…