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A few college statistics that might surprise you.
We talk about college costs all the time.
But today, instead of giving you a long list of things you should be doing, I thought we’d do something different.
Let’s look at the numbers.
Because some of the numbers surrounding college in 2026 are fascinating — and a few may completely change the way you think about paying for college.
$11,950 vs. $45,000
Let’s start with the big one.
For the 2025–26 school year, the average published tuition and fees are:
Public four-year university, in-state: $11,950
Public four-year university, out-of-state: $31,880
Private nonprofit four-year college: $45,000
Public two-year college: $4,150
Those are national averages, and remember: those are sticker prices, not necessarily what a family actually pays.
And that brings us to one of my favorite statistics…
9 out of 10 freshmen at many private colleges receive institutional grant aid.
This is why I tell families over and over:
Please don’t eliminate a private college simply because of the price on its website.
Among the private nonprofit colleges participating in NACUBO’s latest study, about 90% of first-time undergraduates received institutional grants in 2025–26.
Even more interesting?
The estimated average tuition discount rate for first-time, full-time students was 57.1%.
In very simple terms, private colleges are giving away a LOT of institutional money.
That $45,000 sticker price and the amount your family is actually asked to pay can be two very different numbers.
Here’s a statistic I didn’t expect.
We’ve all heard some version of:
“College tuition just keeps skyrocketing.”
But when we account for inflation, the story over the last decade is different.
From 2015–16 to 2025–26:
Public four-year tuition and fees actually decreased 7% after adjusting for inflation.
Public two-year tuition decreased 10%.
Private nonprofit four-year tuition increased only 2%.
That doesn’t mean college suddenly feels inexpensive. Housing, food, transportation and other expenses still matter enormously.
But it does mean we need to be careful about repeating old college-cost statistics without looking at today’s numbers.
Tuition isn’t the whole bill.
This is where families sometimes get tripped up.
Tuition is only one piece of the college-cost puzzle.
There can also be:
Housing
Food
Books and supplies
Transportation
Fees
Computers and technology
Travel home
And all of those little expenses that somehow become very big expenses.
That’s why I want families comparing total cost of attendance and net price, not simply tuition.
Some colleges are actually freezing tuition.
Yep.
Some universities have created tuition guarantees or freezes that give families more predictability.
For example, Texas A&M has extended its freeze on undergraduate tuition and required fees through the 2026–27 academic year, keeping rates at 2021 levels.
Other colleges use a cohort model: the price for your incoming class is essentially locked for four years.
If you’re comparing colleges, this is a fantastic question to ask:
“Is my student’s tuition guaranteed for four years?”
A slightly more expensive freshman-year price could look very different if one school raises tuition annually and another guarantees it.
$275.1 BILLION
That’s how much undergraduate and graduate students received in grants, loans, tax benefits and Federal Work-Study during 2024–25.
Yes.
Billion with a B.
And $173.7 billion of that was grant aid.
That’s money that generally does not have to be repaid.
This is why I will forever beat the drum about looking for ALL the available sources of money.
Colleges themselves are a huge source of financial aid.
We tend to talk about federal grants and outside scholarships, but here’s a number worth remembering:
Colleges and universities provided about $85.1 billion in institutional grant aid in 2024–25.
That’s up 24% over the last decade after adjusting for inflation.
Sometimes the biggest scholarship opportunity isn’t sitting on a scholarship website.
It’s sitting inside the financial-aid office of the college your student is considering.
Here’s another surprising one.
Among students graduating with bachelor’s degrees from public and private nonprofit colleges in 2023–24:
47% graduated with student debt.
Which also means…
53% did not.
Among those who borrowed, average debt was about $29,560.
Is $29,560 significant? Absolutely.
But I think both numbers are important.
Student debt is a real issue.
It is also not inevitable for every college graduate.
Where you live matters — a lot.
The average published in-state tuition at a public four-year university varies enormously by state.
For 2025–26, the average ranges from about:
$6,360 in Florida
to
$18,090 in Vermont.
Same country.
Very different college economics.
This is one reason your neighbor’s college strategy may not be your family’s college strategy.
Perhaps the most expensive college statistic isn’t about tuition at all.
It’s time.
Every extra semester can mean another semester of tuition, housing, food and fees — while also delaying the student’s entry into a full-time career.
When you’re comparing colleges, don’t just ask:
“What does it cost?”
Ask:
“What percentage of students actually graduate — and how long does it take them?”
A school that looks less expensive on paper isn’t necessarily less expensive if it takes significantly longer to earn the degree.
So what’s the Money Monday lesson?
There isn’t one number that tells you whether a college is affordable.
Not the sticker price.
Not the scholarship amount.
Not the tuition.
And definitely not the beautiful number printed across the top of an acceptance letter.
The number that matters is:
What will THIS college actually cost THIS student and THIS family to earn the degree?
That is the number I want you hunting for.
Compare net prices.
Ask about institutional scholarships.
Look for tuition guarantees.
Compare graduation rates.
Calculate four-year costs — not freshman-year costs.
Apply for scholarships.
And please, please don’t automatically cross a college off the list because the sticker price made you gasp.
Sometimes the most expensive-looking college isn’t the most expensive college at all.
And that, my friends, is why we do Money Monday.
Know the numbers. Ask better questions. Keep more of your money.