Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Saving on College Tuition

While tuition and fees have risen over the last decade at all types of colleges and universities, these costs have gone up the least at two-year schools, according to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

The GAO report also shows certain groups of students shifting toward these lower-tuition two-year schools from four-year schools.

If you’re headed to college, a two-year or in-state option could help you minimize your college costs.

Average Debt From Student Loans up Almost $10,000 OverJustify Full 10 Years

For the past 10 years, student debt has been persistently on the rise, with student loan debt in particular continuing to steepen. According to a series of reports by the Making Opportunity Affordable project, the average student borrower at a public college or university today owes $17,250 in student loans (http://www.nextstudent.com); 10 years ago, the average borrower attending a public institution graduated owing just $8,000 in student loans, after adjusting for inflation.

If you want to buck the trend and graduate with as little debt as possible, you may be able to minimize your need for student loans by keeping your tuition costs low with a two-year school.

More Students Choosing Affordable College Options

The GAO report reveals that the majority of current college students attend institutions that have the lowest average tuition and fees.

Nearly half of all college students in 2006–07 attended institutions where the average in-state tuition and fees were less than $2,550 a year. Three out of five students attended institutions where annual tuition and fees were less than $5,000.

Only 3% of students attended schools where tuition and fees exceeded $25,000 a year.

Community College: Two Years of Big Savings

By attending a community college for your first two years of school, you could save, on average, anywhere from $3,000 to $19,000 a year in tuition and fees.

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