US Colleges Tuition Trends Over the Past 10 Years

There are 6,630 colleges in United States - 2,083 public and 4,547 private schools. The 2024 average tuition & fees of the 4-year colleges is $8,975 for state residents and $19,137 for out-of-state students. In private colleges, the average tuition & fees is $27,253. For community colleges, the average tuition & fees is $4,937 for state residents and $8,671 for out-of-state students.

Public 4-year colleges' in-state tuition & fees increased by 53.14% from $7,712 (2015) to $11,810 (2024) and out-of-state tuition & fees grew by 28.12% over the past decade from $17,001 (2015) to $21,782 (2024). In private colleges, the tuition & fees increased by 22.31%, from $23,205 (2015) to $28,381 (2024).

Trends by Sate

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased by 26.38% when living on campus and by 28.67% when living off campus at public . For private , the COA has increased by 23.01% (on-campus) and 24.95% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes of
Year	Living On Campus			Living Off Campus
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$21,393	$30,682	$36,886	$21,703	$30,992	$37,196
2015-16	$21,859 2.18%	$31,433 2.45%	$37,773 2.40%	$22,148 2.05%	$31,722 2.36%	$38,062 2.33%
2016-17	$22,400 2.47%	$32,177 2.37%	$38,710 2.48%	$22,508 1.63%	$32,285 1.77%	$38,818 1.99%
2017-18	$22,946 2.44%	$32,893 2.23%	$39,582 2.25%	$23,031 2.32%	$32,978 2.15%	$39,667 2.19%
2018-19	$23,666 3.14%	$33,508 1.87%	$39,482 -0.25%	$23,788 3.29%	$33,630 1.98%	$39,604 -0.16%
2019-20	$24,047 1.61%	$34,207 2.09%	$40,213 1.85%	$24,356 2.39%	$34,516 2.63%	$40,522 2.32%
2020-21	$24,410 1.51%	$34,416 0.61%	$40,933 1.79%	$24,787 1.77%	$34,793 0.80%	$41,310 1.94%
2021-22	$24,740 1.35%	$34,925 1.48%	$41,833 2.20%	$25,184 1.60%	$35,369 1.66%	$42,277 2.34%
2022-23	$27,673 11.86%	$37,877 8.45%	$43,547 4.10%	$28,353 12.58%	$38,557 9.01%	$44,227 4.61%
2023-24	$28,803 4.08%	$38,775 2.37%	$45,374 4.20%	$29,904 5.47%	$39,876 3.42%	$46,475 5.08%

Tuition & Fees Changes

For the current year (2024), the average tuition & fees for is $14,611 for state residents and $24,495 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $29,656.

For graduate programs, the 2024 average graduate tuition & fees is $13,388 for state residents and $23,010 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $20,509.

The tuition & fees has increased 28.12% for undergraduate programs and 13.11% for graduate programs at . The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.

Tuition & Fees Changes for
Year	Undergraduate			Graduate
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$7,712	$17,001	$23,205	$10,087	$18,732	$17,171
2015-16	$7,907 2.53%	$17,481 2.82%	$23,821 2.65%	$10,348 2.59%	$19,220 2.61%	$17,443 1.58%
2016-17	$8,143 2.98%	$17,920 2.51%	$24,453 2.65%	$10,687 3.28%	$19,705 2.52%	$17,744 1.73%
2017-18	$8,388 3.01%	$18,335 2.32%	$25,024 2.34%	$10,968 2.63%	$20,084 1.92%	$18,193 2.53%
2018-19	$8,815 5.09%	$18,657 1.76%	$24,631 -1.57%	$11,167 1.81%	$20,309 1.12%	$18,293 0.55%
2019-20	$8,921 1.20%	$19,081 2.27%	$25,087 1.85%	$11,305 1.24%	$20,644 1.65%	$18,741 2.45%
2020-21	$9,056 1.51%	$19,062 -0.10%	$25,579 1.96%	$10,863 -3.91%	$20,344 -1.45%	$19,055 1.68%
2021-22	$9,085 0.32%	$19,270 1.09%	$26,178 2.34%	$11,035 1.58%	$20,409 0.32%	$19,202 0.77%
2022-23	$11,558 27.22%	$21,762 12.93%	$27,432 4.79%	$10,970 -0.59%	$20,707 1.46%	$19,255 0.28%
2023-24	$11,810 2.18%	$21,782 0.09%	$28,381 3.46%	$11,729 6.92%	$21,187 2.32%	$19,629 1.94%

U.S. 4-Year Colleges Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

U.S. Graduate Schools Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Books & Supplies Costs Changes for
Year	Books & Supplies
2014-15	$1,250
2015-16	$1,253 0.24%
2016-17	$1,233 -1.60%
2017-18	$1,236 0.24%
2018-19	$1,231 -0.40%
2019-20	$1,219 -0.97%
2020-21	$1,191 -2.30%
2021-22	$1,184 -0.59%
2022-23	$1,157 -2.28%
2023-24	$1,191 2.94%

Living Costs Changes

For , the living have increased 20.68% when a student lives on campus facilities and 22.81% when living off campus from year 2015 to 2024. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.

Living Costs Changes for
Year	Living On Campus	Living Off Campus
2014-15	$12,431	$13,138
2015-16	$12,699 2.54%	$13,433 2.12%
2016-17	$13,024 3.05%	$13,701 1.86%
2017-18	$13,322 2.55%	$13,997 2.48%
2018-19	$13,620 2.66%	$14,399 2.13%
2019-20	$13,907 2.19%	$14,773 3.35%
2020-21	$14,163 1.97%	$15,080 2.24%
2021-22	$14,471 2.42%	$15,398 3.09%
2022-23	$14,958 3.35%	$15,941 5.18%
2023-24	$15,802 4.81%	$16,869 7.92%

Most Searched Un-Known State Colleges (last 30 days)

Undergraduate

Alabama A & M University Public, four-years | Normal, AL
University of Alabama at Birmingham Public, four-years | Birmingham, AL
Amridge University Private, four-years | Montgomery, AL
University of Alabama in Huntsville Public, four-years | Huntsville, AL
Alabama State University Public, four-years | Montgomery, AL
University of Alabama System Office Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa, AL
The University of Alabama Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa, AL
Central Alabama Community College Public, 2-4 years | Alexander City, AL
Athens State University Public, four-years | Athens, AL
Auburn University at Montgomery Public, four-years | Montgomery, AL

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Graduate

Alabama A & M University Public, four-years | Normal, AL
University of Alabama at Birmingham Public, four-years | Birmingham, AL
Amridge University Private, four-years | Montgomery, AL
University of Alabama in Huntsville Public, four-years | Huntsville, AL
Alabama State University Public, four-years | Montgomery, AL
University of Alabama System Office Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa, AL
The University of Alabama Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa, AL
Central Alabama Community College Public, 2-4 years | Alexander City, AL
Athens State University Public, four-years | Athens, AL
Auburn University at Montgomery Public, four-years | Montgomery, AL

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Online Schools

Alabama A & M University Public, four-years | Normal, AL
University of Alabama at Birmingham Public, four-years | Birmingham, AL
Amridge University Private, four-years | Montgomery, AL
University of Alabama in Huntsville Public, four-years | Huntsville, AL
Alabama State University Public, four-years | Montgomery, AL
University of Alabama System Office Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa, AL
The University of Alabama Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa, AL
Central Alabama Community College Public, 2-4 years | Alexander City, AL
Athens State University Public, four-years | Athens, AL
Auburn University at Montgomery Public, four-years | Montgomery, AL

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Technical Colleges

Alabama A & M University Public, four-years | Normal, AL
University of Alabama at Birmingham Public, four-years | Birmingham, AL
Amridge University Private, four-years | Montgomery, AL
University of Alabama in Huntsville Public, four-years | Huntsville, AL
Alabama State University Public, four-years | Montgomery, AL
University of Alabama System Office Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa, AL
The University of Alabama Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa, AL
Central Alabama Community College Public, 2-4 years | Alexander City, AL
Athens State University Public, four-years | Athens, AL
Auburn University at Montgomery Public, four-years | Montgomery, AL

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US Colleges Tuition Trends Over the Past 10 Years

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Tuition & Fees Changes

Books & Supplies Costs Changes

Living Costs Changes