<p>“Tuition costs have climbed 60% since 2000, and the average graduating senior now owes more than $20,000, according to the National Center for Education Statistics – twice as much as graduates owed a decade ago.
Nearly a quarter of recent grads owe in excess of $25,000.
While student debt rose 8% from 2005 to 2006, starting salaries rose only 4%.”</p>
<p>My question is, how long can college tuition for the middle class (who don’t qualify for any or much need-based aid) keep going up at the rate of about 5% a year? Is it like house values?</p>
<p>We HAVE saved for college and retirement. But, boy, are we getting whipped by the stock market. The last time we were seeing our investments go south, S1 was about to go off to college. :(</p>
<p>Yes, I’m nearly done; one more year of college to pay for, and I can only hope the stock market doesn’t eat up the savings.<br>
I’m not really complaining; just trying to suggest that it’s awfully hard for families to save for their children’s education and retirement in this climate. And with inflation and the rising cost of oil, the COA is bound to shoot up.</p>