What's driving college costs higher?

Deseret News

Published: Thursday, June 28 2012 6:31 a.m. MDT

A young man holds up a dollar sign during an Occupy Wall Street rally against the high cost of college tuitions April 25, 2012 in New York. Scores of students and former students gathered to complain about the high cost of tuitions and college loans. April 25th marked the day when US student debt reached USD 1 trillion.

Don Emmert/AFP/GettyImages

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Summary

Just days before student loan rates are set to double for millions of Americans, President Obama and congressional leaders haven't reached an agreement on legislation to keep those rates at 3.4 percent.

Our take: College is now four times more expensive than it was 3 decades ago, pushing student loan debt over $1 trillion. A key reason for this growth is the competition among schools for status and prestige, says Kevin Carey, education policy director at the New America Foundation.

The debate reflects the growing concern over the debt burden many take on to get a college education. About two-thirds of bachelor's degree recipients borrow money to attend college, and collectively, student debt has topped $1 trillion.

Read more about What's Driving College Costs Higher? on NPR.org.

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Mountanman

Hayden, ID

The government is driving up college costs. There is an economic theory that is called from source to sink,alot like supply and demand. It means that if there is an unlimited source of money (government student loans) the cost will rise to meet it! More..

8:14 a.m. June 28, 2012
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lost in DC

West Jordan, UT

I HATE it when you post the first paragraph of a story and then include a link to another webpage. Please provide advance warning that you are posting an incomplete story.

10:37 a.m. June 28, 2012
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Howard Beal

Provo, UT

The student loan racket. It's not brain surgery. I think Mountanman pretty much nailed it.

1:14 p.m. June 28, 2012
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