The cost of college the year you graduated high school
The cost of college the year you graduated high school
For decades the cost of college has been rising, and a storm of factors, including inflation and plummeting enrollment numbers, are being cited as reasons behind new, steeper tuition hikes.
In recent weeks, universities in Michigan, Oklahoma, Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, and Memphis have announced plans to raise tuition costs for incoming students. For the University of Oklahoma, it's the third consecutive increase in as many years, which officials said was "integral to the success of the university."
It's a continuation of a trend that's led to heated discussions among lawmakers and the public about how and whether to relieve the burden tuition costs place on students. Even before the pandemic, average college tuition increased steadily at around 3% per year. At Kansas State, officials say the 5% tuition increase means the school's budget is "still way under the cumulative inflation."
The average cost of tuition, room, and board across all types of universities has ballooned 146% from 1970 to 2021, according to Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics data. Public and private college graduates entering the workforce in 2019 carried an average student debt balance of $28,950—a far cry from the 1970s when a student could pay around $11,000 on average for a four-year degree.
Stacker compiled tuition cost data from NCES to chronicle the average college tuition costs for high school graduates from 1970 to the present day. Costs for room and board are categorized as housing and meal costs. All statistics are averages across all universities, including private, public, non-profit, and for-profit schools.
Continue reading to see how the cost of college stacks up for your graduation year.
1970-71 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,819.92
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,794.91
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,634.23
1971-72 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $12,007.01
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,867.63
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,605.63
1972-73 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $12,483.33
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,027.06
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,614.34
1973-74 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,836.73
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,821.23
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,458.52
1974-75 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,110.01
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,706.54
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,281.45
1975-76 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,173.57
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,733.53
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,347.96
1976-77 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,553.56
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,738.53
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,352.22
1977-78 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,448.95
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,747.02
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,275.83
1978-79 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,207.02
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,671.85
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,169.43
1979-80 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $10,735.25
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,573.63
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,033.25
1980-81 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $10,630.59
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,569.66
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $2,961.47
1981-82 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,047.50
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,688.38
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,025.99
1982-83 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,812.90
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,889.97
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,187.04
1983-84 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $12,273.31
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,004.34
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,209.89
1984-85 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $12,839.40
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,189.97
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,261.55
1985-86 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $13,310.67
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,276.34
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,300.94
1986-87 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,109.50
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,374.78
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,537.76
1987-88 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,248.49
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,444.33
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,533.01
1988-89 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,603.30
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,493.17
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,570.74
1989-90 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,945.69
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,470.68
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,599.27
1990-91 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,937.32
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,501.35
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,558.31
1991-92 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $15,684.85
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,657.81
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,677.28
1992-93 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $16,169.57
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,675.96
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,719.86
1993-94 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $16,730.90
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,798.53
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,719.46
1994-95 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $17,019.82
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,848.21
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,739.85
1995-96 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $17,594.40
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,948.37
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,791.22
1996-97 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $17,952.10
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,010.11
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,809.85
1997-98 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $18,347.66
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,079.09
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,936.43
1998-99 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $19,013.04
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,198.95
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,062.44
1999-2000 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $19,195.67
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,275.62
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,976.32
2000-01 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $19,421.56
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,347.56
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,995.10
2001-02 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $20,142.06
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,519.03
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,124.74
2002-03 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $20,864.85
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,715.36
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,143.44
2003-04 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $21,926.00
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,876.01
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,282.43
2004-05 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $22,664.09
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,027.14
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,312.95
2005-06 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $23,078.10
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,163.84
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,321.28
2006-07 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $23,812.78
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,305.92
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,416.27
2007-08 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $24,070.39
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,365.79
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,465.80
2008-09 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $24,961.15
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,586.50
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,607.75
2009-10 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $25,650.15
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,809.31
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,780.23
2010-11 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $26,273.52
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,975.00
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,890.12
2011-12 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $26,609.01
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,040.84
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,873.81
2012-13 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $27,151.53
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,180.24
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,933.94
2013-14 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $27,663.66
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,332.00
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,022.30
2014-15 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $28,250.98
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,504.89
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,116.29
2015-16 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $28,860.83
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,673.43
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,242.50
2016-17 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $28,838.25
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,757.06
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,259.28
2017-18 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $29,013.08
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,841.82
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,283.86
2018-19 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $28,121.26
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,934.90
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,331.10
2019-20 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $29,436.33
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $7,036.16
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,370.54
2020-21 academic year
- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $29,033.42
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $7,012.61
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,402.52
Data reporting by Dom DiFurio. Photo selection by Abigail Renaud.
