FEBRUARY 12, 2025

How much does college actually cost?

The gap between the sticker price of tuition and the lower amount many students actually pay is confusing.

Data show only 26 percent of in-state students at public colleges and 16 percent at private, nonprofit colleges pay the full sticker price. Yet nearly half of U.S. adults mistakenly think universities charge all students the same tuition, regardless of family income, according to a 2023 survey conducted by the Association of American Universities.

Meanwhile, the Lumina Foundation-Gallup State of Higher Education 2024 study finds that less than one-quarter of U.S. adults without college degrees could estimate — to within $5,000 of the actual figure — the annual net cost of a bachelor’s degree from a public college.

To help shed some light on this confusing topic, the Aspen Economic Strategy Group assessed recent efforts to improve transparency in college pricing. The research brief’s conclusion? We still have a long way to go.

A STRATEGY TO STRENGTHEN THE WORKFORCE

The Bipartisan Policy Center has launched the Commission on the American Workforce, which will meet throughout 2025 to develop a national strategy to strengthen the workforce, expand economic opportunity, and ensure the United States remains competitive. “Our future as a nation hinges on our ability to nurture talent, expand opportunity, and invest in our workforce,” said BPC President and CEO Margaret Spellings. Read more.

FEDERAL ROLE IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Americans are losing confidence in postsecondary education and are less likely to say colleges and universities have a positive influence on the direction of the country, the American Enterprise Institute shared in testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. AEI cited a number of problems behind these sentiments, including “excessive costs, low completion rates, uneven financial value for students, and high rates of student loan nonpayment."​​ Read more.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING ‘IN THE CROSSHAIRS?’

As the Trump administration presses forward with efforts to downsize the federal government — including elimination of workers, funding, and even entire agencies — “a widening range of programs related to workforce education and training could be in the crosshairs,” Paul Fain writes for WorkShift. The U.S. Department of Labor oversees several funding streams that are likely to be scrutinized, including the $3 billion federal workforce system and spending on apprenticeships. Read more.

NEW CHAIR: Ernest J. Newborn II, the senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary of USI Insurance Services, is the new chairman of the Strada board of trustees.