Pa. universities among most expensive

State’s public campuses remain nation’s third costliest, new report says

Price data in a new report is doubly harsh on Pennsylvania’s public universities: Not only do they remain the nation’s third costliest, but they inched closer to the second priciest state despite efforts to curb rate increases.

The figures are contained in a report released today by the College Board, one of two annual studies intended to provide a comprehensive picture of what colleges charge and the financial aid available to help offset those costs.

Pennsylvania’s in-state tuition and fees for 2016-17 average $13,880 on its four-year public campuses, not counting room and board and other expenses. The average was surpassed only by New Hampshire, the most expensive state at $15,650, and Vermont at $15,450.

Pennsylvania's four-year public prices were 44 percent higher than the national average of $9,650, and they rose by 3.6 percent from 201516, surpassing the growth rate of 2.4 percent nationally for public four-year campuses.

Campus leaders have long blamed their higher prices on Pennsylvania’s historically low standing relative to other states in public support to higher education. They say recent gains in their appropriations have not erased deep cuts in previous years.

New Hampshire, Vermont and Pennsylvania are perennially atop four-year prices. Last year, Pennsylvania was $1,598 less than No. 2 Vermont. This year, the gap between the two was $28 less, $1,570.

The figures included data from the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University, Temple and Lincoln universities, as well as the

lesser-priced 14 state-owned universities of the State System of Higher Education.

Nationwide, the College Board's “Trends in College Pricing 2016” report found that tuition and fees across public and private sectors of higher education increased by anywhere from 2.2 percent to 3.6 percent. A separate report on financial aid found that assistance was up too, but not enough to offset those increases.

“Although the reports show that we've seen only moderate increases in published tuition and fees this year, these increases still outpace the growth in financial aid, family incomes and everyday prices for goods and services,” said Jack Buckley, College Board senior vice president for research.

Although total education borrowing is higher than a decade ago, it decreased in 2015-16 for the fifth consecutive year, the College Board reported.The total was $106.8 billion.

Undergraduates borrowed 18 percent less in inflation-adjusted dollars than five years earlier; graduate students 6 percent less, the College Board said.

Officials noted that students often pay well below published campus prices after grant aid from all sources and federal education tax benefits are applied. But the “net” price — the cost after aid is deducted — is also rising, after previous years when it declined.

Nationwide, public fouryear tuition and fees increased by 2.4 percent to $9,650 for 2016-17, compared with $9,420 last year. Once room and board are factored in, the total average at those institutions is $20,090.

Out-of-state students at four-year public campuses are paying 3.6 percent more this year, at $24,930, than they did last year, $24,070. The average out-of-state total with room and board included is $35,370.

At private non-profit fouryear institutions, published tuition and fees rose by 3.6 percent, to $33,480 in 2016-17, up from $32,330 last year. The average total with tuition, fees, room and board at those private schools is $45,370.

Average published in-district tuition and fees at public two-year colleges rose by 2.3 percent to $3,520 this year from $3,440 last year. Pennsylvania’s two-year public campuses were the seventh highest priced nationally at $5,160, according to the price report.

In its “Trends in Student Aid 2016’’ report, which covers the academic year 201516, the College Board said full-time undergraduates received $14,460 in financial aid last year, including $8,390 in grants from all sources, $4,720 in federal loans, $1,290 in education tax credits and deductions, plus $60 in Federal Work-Study.

Among flagship public universities, the highest priced was Penn State’s University Park campus at $17,900 in tuition and fees, followed by the University of New Hampshire at $17,620. The lowest priced flagship campus was the University of Wyoming at $5,060, followed by the University of Montana at $6,220.