Wally McNamee // Getty Images
1 / 511970-71 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
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.
North Carolina Central University // Getty Images
2 / 511971-72 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
Spencer Grant // Getty Images
3 / 511972-73 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
Jackson State University // Getty Images
4 / 511973-74 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
Gado // Getty Images
5 / 511974-75 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
JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado // Getty Images
6 / 511975-76 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
Jackson State University // Getty Images
7 / 511976-77 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
ClassicStock // Getty Images
8 / 511977-78 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
JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado // Getty Images
9 / 511978-79 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
Rick Friedman // Getty Images
10 / 511979-80 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
Jim Steinfeldt // Getty Images
11 / 511980-81 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
ClassicStock // Getty Images
12 / 511981-82 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
Ted Streshinsky Photographic Archive // Getty Images
13 / 511982-83 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
George Gojkovich // Getty Images
14 / 511983-84 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
The Washington Post // Getty Images
15 / 511984-85 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
Barbara Alper // Getty Images
16 / 511985-86 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
North Carolina Central University // Getty Images
17 / 511986-87 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
Joe Sohm/Visions of America // Getty Images
18 / 511987-88 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
Barbara Alper // Getty Images
19 / 511988-89 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
Jackson State University // Getty Images
20 / 511989-90 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
Boston Globe // Getty Images
21 / 511990-91 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
Ken Schles // Getty Images
22 / 511991-92 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
Joe Sohm/Visions of America // Getty Images
23 / 511992-93 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
Joe Sohm/Visions of America // Getty Images
24 / 511993-94 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
Star Tribune // Getty Images
25 / 511994-95 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
Star Tribune // Getty Images
26 / 511995-96 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
Steve Osman // Getty Images
27 / 511996-97 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
Rick Loomis // Getty Images
28 / 511997-98 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
picture alliance // Getty Images
29 / 511998-99 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
Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers // Getty Images
30 / 511999-2000 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
Grindstone Media Group // Shutterstock
31 / 512000-01 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
Construction Photography/Avalon // Getty Images.
32 / 512001-02 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
Steve Skjold // Shutterstock
33 / 512002-03 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
LEE SNIDER PHOTO IMAGES // Shutterstock
34 / 512003-04 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
Philip Arno Photography // Shutterstock
35 / 512004-05 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
Bryan Pollard // Shutterstock
36 / 512005-06 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
Wirestock Creators // Shutterstock
37 / 512006-07 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
aceshot1 // Shutterstock
38 / 512007-08 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
Kit Leong // Shutterstock
39 / 512008-09 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
Lewis Liu // Shutterstock
40 / 512009-10 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
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
41 / 512010-11 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
George Sheldon // Shutterstock
42 / 512011-12 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
Susan B Sheldon // Shutterstock
43 / 512012-13 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
cdrin // Shutterstock
44 / 512013-14 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
Leigh Trail // Shutterstock
45 / 512014-15 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
Bryan Pollard // Shutterstock
46 / 512015-16 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
Helen89 // Shutterstock
47 / 512016-17 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
EQRoy // Shutterstock
48 / 512017-18 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
quiggyt4 // Shutterstock
49 / 512018-19 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
Sharkshock // Shutterstock
50 / 512019-20 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
Canva
51 / 512020-21 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.
