College net tuition costs have decreased due to an increasing discount rate and increasing inflation. Of course there is wide variability in what a given family might pay, but still, the averages are instructive from a macro perspective. Nor does this include room and board, but room and board charges are often discounted as well, not to mention many students can live off campus for all or most of their years of attendance at rates lower than what a college might charge.
From CollegeBoard’s most recent report:
Net Prices
The majority of full-time undergraduate students receive grant aid that helps them pay for college.
- Since 2009-10, first-time full-time students at public two-year colleges have been receiving enough grant aid on average to cover their tuition and fees.
- After adjusting for inflation, the average net tuition and fee price paid by first-time full-time in-state students enrolled in public four-year institutions peaked in 2012-13 at $4,230 (in 2023 dollars) and declined to an estimated $2,730 in 2023-24.
- After adjusting for inflation, the average net tuition and fee price paid by first-time full-time students enrolled in private nonprofit four-year institutions declined from $18,820 (in 2023 dollars) in 2006-07 to an estimated $15,910 in 2023-24.
Full reports available here, including data by income ranges.