Where Does the Money Come From? Where Does it Go?

The Delta Cost Project recently released the study “Trends in College Spending: Where does the money come from? Where does it go?” which analyzed enrollment patterns, revenue trends, spending for education, and spending increases between 2002 and 2006 at 1944 colleges and universities. The report found that students are carrying a greater share of the cost of their education, even as institutions spend less on instruction.

Additional findings include:

• The fastest growth in enrollment occurred at public community colleges with the least resources and with the greatest evidence of budget cuts.
• At public institutions, spending on instruction declined from 2002 to 2005, and increased in 2006, but the increases did not make up for earlier reductions.
• Private universities have increased spending through tuition and endowment increases. Total educational spending per student increased by 10 percent at $33,000, while spending at public universities remained stagnant and totaled less than $14,000 per year.

Read the report here.