College students studying on a campus lawn in 1970.

The cost of college the year you graduated high school

Written by:
June 28, 2023
FPG // Getty Images

The cost of college the year you graduated high school

For decades the cost of college has been rising, and a storm of factors, including inflation and plummeting enrollment numbers, are being cited as reasons behind new, steeper tuition hikes.

In the spring and summer of 2024, universities in Oregon, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Jersey, and Tennessee started announcing plans to raise tuition costs for incoming students. For the University of Oklahoma, it's the fourth consecutive year of increases, which officials have blamed on rising inflation.

It's a continuation of a trend that's led to heated discussions among lawmakers and the public about how and whether to relieve the burden tuition costs place on students. Though some universities froze tuition during the COVID-19 pandemic, prices have steadily crept back up in the years since. At Kansas' Emporia State University, for example, where costs are expected to go up by 4% for undergrads and 2% for graduate students, officials have suggested cutting back on student fees by as much as 17% to help cushion the blow.

The average cost of tuition and fees across all types of universities has ballooned by more than 179% from 2002 to 2022, according to the Education Data Initiative. Public and private college graduates entering the workforce in 2022 carried an average student debt balance of $29,400, despite student loan forgiveness programs enacted under the Biden administration. 

As the cost of a college education continues to skyrocket, Stacker compiled tuition cost data from the National Center for Education Statistics to chronicle the average college tuition costs for high school graduates from 1970 to 2022. Costs for room and board are categorized as housing and meal costs. All statistics are averages across all universities, including private, public, non-profit, and for-profit schools.

Continue reading to see how the cost of college stacks up for your graduation year.

A sign protesting the Vietnam War and draft hanging from the windows of a dorm.
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Wally McNamee // Getty Images

1970-71 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,819.92
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,794.91
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,634.23

Dr. Isaac Robinson sitting at a desk with two unidentified people using a computer in the library of North Carolina Central University in 1972.
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North Carolina Central University // Getty Images

1971-72 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $12,007.01
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,867.63
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,605.63

Tufts University students working in a campus garden in 1973.
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Spencer Grant // Getty Images

1972-73 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $12,483.33
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,027.06
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,614.34

The Blackburn Language Arts Building at Jackson State University in 1974.
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Jackson State University // Getty Images

1973-74 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,836.73
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,821.23
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,458.52

Matthews Hall at Harvard University in 1975.
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Gado // Getty Images

1974-75 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,110.01
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,706.54
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,281.45

The D Luke Hopkins Building on the campus of Johns Hopkins' Applied Physics Laboratory in 1976.
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JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado // Getty Images

1975-76 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,173.57
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,733.53
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,347.96

A science fair at Jackson State University in 1977.
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Jackson State University // Getty Images

1976-77 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,553.56
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,738.53
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,352.22

Students graduating from college in 1978.
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ClassicStock // Getty Images

1977-78 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,448.95
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,747.02
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,275.83

A busy Spring Fair on Keyser Quad in front of Gilman Hall at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore in April 1978.
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JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado // Getty Images

1978-79 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,207.02
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,671.85
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,169.43

Buildings on the campus of Boston University in 1980.
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Rick Friedman // Getty Images

1979-80 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $10,735.25
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,573.63
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,033.25

Cornell University in October 1981.
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Jim Steinfeldt // Getty Images

1980-81 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $10,630.59
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,569.66
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $2,961.47

Three teenagers eating takeout in a dorm room.
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ClassicStock // Getty Images

1981-82 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,047.50
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,688.38
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,025.99

The Lawrence Hall of Sciencel on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley in 1983.
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Ted Streshinsky Photographic Archive // Getty Images

1982-83 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $11,812.90
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $2,889.97
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,187.04

An aerial view of St.Vincent College in 1984.
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George Gojkovich // Getty Images

1983-84 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $12,273.31
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,004.34
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,209.89

Cadet at Virignia Military Institute walking between classes in 1985.
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The Washington Post // Getty Images

1984-85 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $12,839.40
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,189.97
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,261.55

Students graduating from New York University in 1986.
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Barbara Alper // Getty Images

1985-86 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $13,310.67
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,276.34
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,300.94

Graduates from North Carolina Central University in 1987.
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North Carolina Central University // Getty Images

1986-87 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,109.50
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,374.78
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,537.76

Harvard University in 1988.
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Joe Sohm/Visions of America // Getty Images

1987-88 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,248.49
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,444.33
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,533.01

Students studying at Stanford University in October 1989.
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Barbara Alper // Getty Images

1988-89 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,603.30
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,493.17
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,570.74

University students standing in line in front of campus registration office at Jackson State University in 1992.
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Jackson State University // Getty Images

1989-90 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,945.69
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,470.68
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,599.27

A lecture hall at Harvard University in 1991.
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Boston Globe // Getty Images

1990-91 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $14,937.32
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,501.35
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,558.31

Students lounging and reading on lawn on the campus of Sarah Lawrence College in January 1993.
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Ken Schles // Getty Images

1991-92 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $15,684.85
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,657.81
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,677.28

The Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Massachusett, 1993.
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Joe Sohm/Visions of America // Getty Images

1992-93 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $16,169.57
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,675.96
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,719.86

A students studying on a bench in Santa Monica in 1994.
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Joe Sohm/Visions of America // Getty Images

1993-94 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $16,730.90
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,798.53
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,719.46

One person working in and one person cleaning a college dorm room.
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Star Tribune // Getty Images

1994-95 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $17,019.82
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,848.21
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,739.85

A view of the University of Minnesota as seen from the roof of Fairview Riverside.
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Star Tribune // Getty Images

1995-96 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $17,594.40
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $3,948.37
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,791.22

The Science and Technology building at Ventura College in November 1997.
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Steve Osman // Getty Images

1996-97 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $17,952.10
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,010.11
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,809.85

A student reading a university newspaper at the University of Irvine in 1998.
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Rick Loomis // Getty Images

1997-98 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $18,347.66
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,079.09
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,936.43

Harvard university in November 1999.
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picture alliance // Getty Images

1998-99 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $19,013.04
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,198.95
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,062.44

Rice University's Reckling Park baseball stadium in January 2000.
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Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers // Getty Images

1999-2000 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $19,195.67
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,275.62
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,976.32

An aerial view of Notre Dame Stadium in May 2002.
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Grindstone Media Group // Shutterstock

2000-01 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $19,421.56
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,347.56
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $3,995.10

The University of Virginia in November 2002.
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Construction Photography/Avalon // Getty Images.

2001-02 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $20,142.06
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,519.03
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,124.74

The Carlson School of Management on the University of Minnesota Campus in November 2003.
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Steve Skjold // Shutterstock

2002-03 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $20,864.85
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,715.36
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,143.44

Students outside of Shephard Hall at City College of New York in September 2004.
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LEE SNIDER PHOTO IMAGES // Shutterstock

2003-04 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $21,926.00
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $4,876.01
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,282.43

A dorm at Beliot college in 2005.
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Philip Arno Photography // Shutterstock

2004-05 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $22,664.09
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,027.14
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,312.95

Moore Humanities & Research Administration Building, built in 2006, at the University of North Carolina.
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Bryan Pollard // Shutterstock

2005-06 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $23,078.10
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,163.84
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,321.28

The courtyard of Harvard University in fall 2007.
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Wirestock Creators // Shutterstock

2006-07 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $23,812.78
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,305.92
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,416.27

The football stadium at Ohio University in fall 2008.
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aceshot1 // Shutterstock

2007-08 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $24,070.39
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,365.79
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,465.80

Royce Hall at UCLA in August 2009.
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Kit Leong // Shutterstock

2008-09 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $24,961.15
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,586.50
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,607.75

Cornell University in October 2010.
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Lewis Liu // Shutterstock

2009-10 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $25,650.15
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,809.31
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,780.23

Harvard Square in 2011.
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Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

2010-11 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $26,273.52
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $5,975.00
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,890.12

Gettysburg College in 2012.
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George Sheldon // Shutterstock

2011-12 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $26,609.01
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,040.84
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,873.81

A sign outside Kalamazoo College in 2014.
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Susan B Sheldon // Shutterstock

2012-13 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $27,151.53
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,180.24
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $4,933.94

University of California at Berkeley in 2014.
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cdrin // Shutterstock

2013-14 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $27,663.66
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,332.00
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,022.30

Students on the quad lawn of the University of Illinois in April 2016.
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Leigh Trail // Shutterstock

2014-15 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $28,250.98
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,504.89
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,116.29

Murphree Hall at the University of Florida on September 12, 2016, in Gainesville, Florida.
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Bryan Pollard // Shutterstock

2015-16 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $28,860.83
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,673.43
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,242.50

Princeton University in November 2017.
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Helen89 // Shutterstock

2016-17 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $28,838.25
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,757.06
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,259.28

The University of Chicago in 2019.
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EQRoy // Shutterstock

2017-18 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $29,013.08
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,841.82
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,283.86

Entrance gate and sign for Wellesley College in 2019.
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quiggyt4 // Shutterstock

2018-19 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $28,121.26
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $6,934.90
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,331.10

College students at UNC-Chapel Hill walking across a sparsely populated campus.
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Sharkshock // Shutterstock

2019-20 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $29,436.33
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $7,036.16
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,370.54

A college professor giving a lecture.
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Canva

2020-21 academic year

- Inflation-adjusted cost of 4-year full tuition, room, board, fees: $29,033.42
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year room costs: $7,012.61
- Inflation-adjusted 4-year meal costs: $5,402.52

Additional writing by Cu Fleshman. Data reporting by Dom DiFurio. Photo selection by Abigail Renaud.

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