Cost of College the Year You Graduated High School

It’s well-known that the cost of college has been climbing, but college tuition increases at both public and private universities isn’t a recent trend. College costs have been increasing significantly for decades, making it increasingly harder to afford a higher education.

To see just how much the price tag on a postsecondary education has grown each year, GOBankingRates analyzed data on four-year institutions from the National Center for Education Statistics and the College Board, starting in 1964, the first year this data was collected. Note that the data from 1964-70 also includes the costs for two-year institutions. Costs are in current dollars.

From 1964 to 2019, the average annual cost of a four-year public school has soared by about 3,819%. The average annual cost of a four-year private school has jumped 2,998%. To better understand the rising cost of college, take a closer look at how much college cost throughout the years.

• Average cost of public school: $261
• Average cost of private school: $1,160

See: You Won’t Believe How Much College Costs Have Jumped in the Past 50 Years

• Average cost of public school: $284
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 8.8%
• Average cost of private school: $1,128
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.9%

• Average cost of public school: $310
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 9.2%
• Average cost of private school: $1,309
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.6%

• Average cost of public school: $317
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.3%
• Average cost of private school: $1,386
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.9%

• Average cost of public school: $329
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.8%
• Average cost of private school: $1,487
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 7.3%

• Average cost of public school: $367
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 11.6%
• Average cost of private school: $1,639
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 10.2%

• Average cost of public school: $405
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 10.4%
• Average cost of private school: $1,792
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.3%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $430
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.2%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $1,830
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 2.1%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $500
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 16.3%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $1,950
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.6%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $510
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,050
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.1%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $510
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 0%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,130
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.9%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $540
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 5.9%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,290
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 7.5%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $620
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 14.8%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,530
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 10.5%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $660
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,700
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $690
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,960
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.6%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $740
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.2%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $3,230
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.1%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $800
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 8.1%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $3,620
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 12.1%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $910
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 13.8%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $4,110
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 13.5%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,030
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 13.2%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $4,640
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 12.9%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,150
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 11.7%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $5,090
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.7%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,230
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $5,560
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.2%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,320
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.3%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $6,120
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 10.1%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,410
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.8%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $6,660
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 8.8%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,490
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 5.7%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $7,050
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.9%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,580
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $8,000
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 13.5%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,700
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.6%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $8,660
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 8.3%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,910
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 12.4%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $9,340
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 7.9%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,110
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 10.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $9,810
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5%

You Can Still Go to College for Less Than $10K a Year: Best Colleges in the US That Cost Less Than $10,000 a Year

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,330
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 10.4%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $10,450
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.5%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,540
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 9%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $11,010
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.4%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,710
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $11,720
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.4%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,810
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.7%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $12,220
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4.3%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,980
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $12,990
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.3%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,250
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $14,710
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,250
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $14,710
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,360
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.4%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $15,520
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.5%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,510
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $16,070
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.5%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,770
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.4%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $17,380
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 8.2%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $4,100
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 8.8%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $18,060
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.9%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $4,650
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 13.4%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $18,950
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4.9%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $5,130
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 10.3%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $20,050
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.8%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $5,490
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $20,980
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4.6%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $5,800
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 5.6%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $22,310
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.3%

You Don’t Have to Spend a Lot for a Postsecondary Education: Best College in Every State That Costs Less Than $20,000 a Year

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $6,190
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $23,420
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $6,600
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.6%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $24,820
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $7,070
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.1%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $25,740
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.7%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $7,630
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.9%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $26,770
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $8,280
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 8.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $27,880
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4.1%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $8,650
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $28,990
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4%

Avoid Paying the Full Cost: Average College Tuition Costs Have Tripled — Here Are 4 Ways to Pay Less

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $8,890
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.8%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $30,130
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.9%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $9,150
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.9%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $31,280
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.8%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $9,430
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.1%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $32,340
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.4%

Do You Make Enough to Afford College Where You Live? Ideal Salary Needed to Afford College in Your State — Without Loans

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $9,670
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $33,500
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.6%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $9,980
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.2%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $34,700
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.6%

• Average cost of a four-year public school: $10,230
• Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.5%
• Average cost of a four-year private school: $35,830
• Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.3%

Click through to read more about how to cut college costs.

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