Good to hear that I'd be just as drained or worst somewhere else. My tuition for one semester a year ago(I dropped out once I was broke) averaged over $11,000. Then again I'm paying out of state & out of pocket. But I'm the exception not the standard(I hope).

Good investment,or vested interest? If the kids stopped going, they'd have to get a real jobs wouldn't they.

I like that they use a quote from the UHAA, who handles Student loan payments from former students, to prove its a good value. Thats like aking the used car salesman if that 1978 Pacer with the missing muffler and rust is a good value at $20k.

To the comments above, show me an investment that will pay better dividends over one's lifetime better than education! Higher ed in Utah is a HUGE bargain -- I should know because I went here for a b.a. and out of state for grad school and just barely finished paying off my student loan. But I wouldn't do it any differently and hope Utah kids are smart enough to invest on the front end by enrolling in, and graduating from, college. Nothing ensures more opportunity in life than more education. Guaranteed.

Interesting that this article is about how Utah higher education is a bargain but the DesNews includes no actual costs for in state schools, only national averages. Just so you know:

-tuition and fees in the state universities runs from the lowest annual tuition of $3,664 at Weber State University to the high of $4,987 at the University of Utah. UVSC (not quite a university) chimes in at $3,528.

-tuition at the two year schools runs from the low of $2,161 at CEU to the high of $2,536 at SLCC.

-Private schools vary from LDSBC' $2,600 (for LDS students) to Westminster's $22,374.

Maybe I should get paid for doing the DesNews' work for them.