<p>I don’t have access to stats that would prove this, but I strongly suspect that average household income escalates as you move from the pool of families whose children attend community college, to those who attend directional state school to those who attend state flagship to those who attend private colleges and universities. This is not to say that lots of high income households don’t send their children off to publics – both flagship and directional. A recent story about Michigan pointed out the high percentage of students whose parent or parents were physicians. (I remember this article because the son of a local doctor here in smalltown Upstate NY goes to Michigan). Many of the children of our neighbors with household incomes over $100K attend SUNY colleges.</p>
<p>As it happens we are not rich and sent our two daughters to private schools for about what it would have cost to send them to a SUNY. Daughters go/went to colleges that provide “100%” or close to 100% “need” with a minimum of loans. Daughters did not have “good stats” as they are often defined here on CC. We, not the girls, will pay those loans. Yes, we’ve made personal sacrifices to minimize loans and pay as much as possible from current income.</p>
<p>No two families are exactly alike. We are happy with the path we chose. Other people might have different ideas. As long as people don’t tread on mine I won’t tread on theirs.</p>