Understanding College Affordability: How Students, Institutions, and the Public Pay for Higher Education

Explores what college affordability means by looking topics like what college is, the cost of educating students, the value of a college education, and student profiles. Rising concerns over college tuition and student debt combined with the widespread conviction that a degree is essential for a middle-class lifestyle have led to a sense that college in the United States has become “unaffordable.” However, affordability is different for everyone.