College Tuition for Boomers, Gen X, and Millenials

This generation is better educated than any generation before it. But they're also paying the price.

This timeline will track the costs of college tuition and room and board for students attending from 1975-2015. The data is courtesy of the CollegeBoard.

11th January 1975

If you were starting college in fall 1975

you're lucky. The National Center for Education Statistics Reports that about 50% of high school graduates enrolled in some kind of post-secondary education. Tuiton and fees for a private, non-profit four-year college in 2015 dollars was $10,088. The minimum wage back then was $2.10 (but put into 2015 dollars, that's about $9.50).

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15th August 1985

If you were starting college in 1985...

you were among 57% of graduating high schoolers to do so. Tuition and fees at a private non-profit four year school amounted to $13,551 in 2015 dollars, which is about 30% more than people a decade older had to deal with. Minimum wage in 1985 was $3.35. Put into 2015 dollars, that's about $7.47. Remember, the purchasing power of the minimum wage just ten years prior was $9.50.

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1st September 1995

If you were starting college in 1995...

...you were likely high income. 85 percent of high-income high school graduates went on to post-secondary education, while only 34 percent of low-income high school students did.

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15th August 2005

If you were starting college in 2005...

...you're with 68% of all high school graduates. If you went to a school like Bradley, yearly tuition and fees cost you about $25,624 in 2015 dollars, a 34 percent increase from the 90s. But if you work a part-time minimum wage job as a student, your income is $5.15. In 2015 dollars, that's $6.35.

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15th August 2015

If you started college in 2015...

...you're part of the 69% of high school graduates who decide to continue their education. Tuition and fees for a private-four year university is $32,405, a 25% increase. The federal minimum wage right now is $7.25. Though if you live in Illinois, you make a whopping $8.25. To be clear, the purchasing power of a minimum wage salary today is less than it was in 1975, but the price of a college like Bradley has increased by 221 percent.

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College Tuition for Boomers, Gen X, and Millenials

1972

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Event

If you started college in 2015...

15th August 2015

...you're part of the 69% of high school graduates who decide to continue their education. Tuition and fees for a private-four year university is...

More
Event

If you were starting college in 2005...

15th August 2005

...you're with 68% of all high school graduates. If you went to a school like Bradley, yearly tuition and fees cost you about $25,624 in 2015 dollars,...

More
Event

If you were starting college in 1995...

1st September 1995

...you were likely high income. 85 percent of high-income high school graduates went on to post-secondary education, while only 34 percent of...

More
Event

If you were starting college in 1985...

15th August 1985

you were among 57% of graduating high schoolers to do so. Tuition and fees at a private non-profit four year school amounted to $13,551 in 2015...

More
Event

If you were starting college in fall 1975

11th January 1975

you're lucky. The National Center for Education Statistics Reports that about 50% of high school graduates enrolled in some kind of post-secondary...

More
January 1975

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    College Tuition for Boomers, Gen X, and Millenials

    This generation is better educated than any generation before it. But they're also paying the price.

    This timeline will track the costs of college tuition and room and board for students attending from 1975-2015. The data is courtesy of the CollegeBoard.

    NaN of 5 stories

    If you started college in 2015...
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