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  • Aarthi Ram

Why is College in America So Much More Expensive?

Updated: Jul 16, 2020


What makes college in America is so much more expensive than that of other countries?

Why do some undergraduate degrees in The States amount to over $70k a year?

Why do students end up paying loans years after graduation?

Well, there are four main factors, specific to American Universities, that contribute to this tremendous expense. Keep reading to find out what they are!

Politics and Economics: There have been heavy price cuts over the past decades, forcing universities to make up for these costs by relying heavily on their students. Colleges have become more entrepreneurial in nature and have expanded their student-body to include students who can indeed, bring more income.

Faculty Research: Another reason for the increase in prices can be attributed to the increasing amount of faculty who are encouraged to do intensive research. Aside from lecturing their daily classes, most professors have research requirements to meet each year.

Ratio of Students to Teachers: Data has shown that the U.S. colleges have a slightly lower ratio of students to teachers than the average developed world. This could contribute to a better learning environment for students. Additionally, it is important to note that the public colleges in the U.S. rank far higher than those in other countries.

Controlling price increases: Much like an MRI, there is no central mechanism to control these price increases. Colleges simply extract money from their students because “they can.” However, if a more regulated fee structure were to be put in place, the centralized government authority can place a cap on tuition.


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