Dive Brief:
- Subsidies for public higher education institutions have hit a 10-year low, and for the first time, students at four-year schools pay at least half of the full institutional cost of their education, according to a Trends in College Spending report.
- Institutional subsidies, funded by state and local appropriations or other university revenues, dropped to an average of $6,000 to $7,000 per student at public four-year institutions in 2011, the latest year figures were available.
- Revenue generated per full-time student at public research or private institutions increased 1% to 4% in 2011 from 2010, but was unchanged at other public four-year institutions.
Dive Insight:
The Trends in College Spending report, technically an update, shows that institutional subsidies declined by 2% to 4% at public non-research institutions in 2011, compared to the 8% plus declines in 2010. But public research universities suffered a second year of 8% declines in subsidies. Education and related spending per student, including instruction, student services, and some administration and maintenance costs, dropped about 1% at public and private research universities and community colleges in 2011.