Cuts to Higher Education Lead to Increases in Tuition

Due to significant budget cuts to higher education over the past four years, sharp tuition increases have become commonplace on campuses across the state. An article in today’s the Seattle Times highlighted a group of students at the University of Washington that have been pouring over the university’s  budget as administrators grapple with the decision to increase tuition this year by as much as 16 percent.  

Our research has focused on tuition hikes. From our policy brief “Declining Support for Education Threatens Economic Growth”:

 “Since 2007, the average cost to attend college has risen 94 percent for students and families at four-year institutions, due to dramatic increases in tuition…  The state historically supported society’s commitment to learning by making sure students paid less than half the actual cost, but that flipped in 2011 and now families are asked to pay the lion’s share at four-year institutions, and 37 percent of the costs at community and technical colleges.   At the University of Washington, tuition jumped by $3,528 between 2008 and 2011, and increased 30 percent at community and technical colleges over the same time period.”

Read more in “Undermining Prosperity: Higher Education Cuts Weaken Access, Affordability, and Quality.”