"You balance them against each other and figure out where would the money most effectively be spent," he said. "Higher education is not a low priority; it's certainly one that we look at."

Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Rich Kendell said while the university system may not be at the bottom of the state's priority list, it is still a ways from moving into the "must-have" category from its current position as a "nice-to-have."

To move into that critical list, however, will take a major shift by legislators to consider the impact of higher education on wages, employment and overall economy, he said.

"I don't think we have cultivated enough true believers that understand higher education is the key to a better future," Kendell said.

The national report also reported 14 percent enrollment growth for U.S. schools and a 7.7 percent increase in tuition.

"Students and their families have borne a substantially larger share of higher-education costs over the past decade; if this trend continues, both the American tradition of affordable higher education and student participation could well be threatened," the report states.

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E-mail: estewart@desnews.com