Affordability: Improvements, Declines, and Gaps in Performance
The nation’s colleges and universities have become less affordable for students and their families since the early 1990s. This year continues the trend in deteriorating college affordability in the majority of states. Although many states increased their investment in need-based financial aid, tuition increases outpaced growth in financial aid. In all but two states, the percentage of family income, after financial aid, needed to pay for a public four-year college has increased since 2000. On average, students from working and poor families must pay 40% of family income to enroll in public four-year colleges. Students from middle-income families and upper-income families must pay 25% and 13% of family income, respectively, to enroll in public four-year colleges.
Key Indicator: Percentage of income (average of all income groups) needed to pay for college expenses at public four-year institutions
 |
|
2 states improved or stayed the same on the key indicator |
 |
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48 states declined on the key indicator |
Declines in Family Ability to Pay*
(An increase in the percentage of income needed to pay for college expenses represents a decline in affordability.)
Percentage of income needed to pay for college expenses minus financial aid at community colleges
| North Dakota | 16% to 27% |
|
West Virginia | 20% to 29% |
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Massachusetts | 18% to 26% |
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Florida | 18% to 25% |
|
Texas | 15% to 21% |
|
Illinois | 19% to 24% |
|
Washington | 20% to 25% |
|
Arizona | 17% to 21% |
Percentage of income needed to pay for college expenses minus financial aid at public four-year institutions
|
Illinois | 19% to 35% |
|
New Jersey | 19% to 34% |
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Delaware | 23% to 37% |
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Minnesota | 17% to 30% |
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Oklahoma | 12% to 25% |
|
Pennsylvania | 29% to 41% |
Percentage of income needed to pay for college expenses minus financial aid at private four-year institutions
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Arizona | 50% to 79% |
|
Missouri | 44% to 69% |
|
Texas | 42% to 67% |
|
Pennsylvania | 69% to 87% |
|
New York | 72% to 87% |
Improvements in State Investment
State investment in need-based financial aid as a percentage of the federal investment
|
North Carolina | 3% to 70% |
|
Virginia |
6% to 50% |
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Montana | 1% to 9% |
|
Utah | 1% to 8% |
|
Washington | 24% to 108% |
|
Texas | 7% to 32% |
|
Delaware | 13% to 49% |
|
Missouri | 8% to 29% |
|
West Virginia | 12% to 43% |
Declines in State Investment
State investment in need-based financial aid as a percentage of the federal investment
|
Georgia | 4% to 0% |
|
Hawaii | 8% to 5% |
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Rhode Island | 36% to 28% |
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Iowa | 40% to 33% |
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Michigan | 33% to 28% |
|
Illinois | 89% to 82% |
* For these indicators, an increase (in the percentage of
income needed to pay for college expenses) represents a
decline in affordability.
