Rianne Quigley
Staff Writer
Rising tuition increases are nothing new, and with the student debt crisis recently reaching 1.5 trillion dollars, most every student can feel the pressure of paying tuition now and paying it off later.
The increases at Idaho State University are part of a national trend. According to CNBC in 2017, there has been a two hundred and thirteen percent increase in college tuition.
In the 1987 to 1988 school year, the average cost of tuition for a public, four year institution was $3,190 after adjusted for inflation, but in 2017 the cost had risen to $9,970. (CNBC 2017)
Idaho State University is apart of this trend. The Chronicle for Higher Education records past Idaho State tuition rates going back to 1998.
In 1998, the tuition cost for an in-state, full-time student was, after adjusting for inflation, $3,336 and in 2018 it was $7,420.
Out of state tuition took the biggest hit. Again, 1998, the average cost for an out of state student at Idaho State University was $3,336. The next year saw those prices increase to $13,058 and continue to increase till the current price for an out of state student is $21,583. Again, numbers were adjusted for inflation.
Stanford economist Caroline Hoxby, co-editor of How the Financial Crisis and Great Recession Affected Higher Education, gives an explanation to how the 2008 recession may have played a part in national rising costs in her interview with Stanford News.
“Tuition is kept artificially low by state appropriations,” she said. “… during the recession, these tuition subsidies fell as states decided to spend their money elsewhere. As a result, middle- and upper-income students face higher tuition at many state schools. The schools were not spending any more money; they were just subsidizing tuition less.”
Simply put, states stopped subsidizing tuition and many institutions increased prices to cover this lost source of funding.
It is not clear if this is the exact reason for Idaho State University’s rising costs over the years. The school, however, does offer a break down of the recent tuition increase made for the 2019-2020 school year.
Counseling saw the most increase in funds, instead of five dollars per student, it is now 16.62 dollars, a 232.4% increase.
The facilities fee follows with the second increase, with the cost rising to 15.7 %. Shortly after that, intercollegiate athletics saw a 10.1% increase in how much each student pays.
Other groups and organizations like the Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Group, Student Support Service, Scholarships, saw no increase in funding or support.
However, not all students are feeling the full effect of rising tuition.
“My tuition for CSI was significantly cheaper but I also did not receive scholarships or have a chance to receive scholarships for CSI,” Abigail Vaughn said. “So when I got scholarships for ISU, I paid less money out of pocket when I started at ISU.”
Idaho State University is also below the national average when it comes to tuition costs. The national average for tuition is $9,970, however, Idaho State University students only pay $7,872.
