College costs confounding

2013

In 1998 my youngest child graduated from one of the better small private colleges in the US. The cost in 1998 was about $26,000 a year. In 2013 that would be $37,032.61 based on the general CPI.

However, the actual tuition, room and board, etc in 2013 is about $62,000. That’s 238% of the 1998 tuition.

Can the education possibly be that much improved? Are the professors smarter? Do they actually teach every day? Or is it that there are now more buildings and sports facilities?

If health care increased that much we would be hanging health insurance executives in effigy. Instead we are more worried about tuition loans rather than the value or lack there of delivered for the outrageous cost of a college education.

Well I guess there is some consolation, we get to put a prestigious college decal on the rear window of our car, but they charge you for that free advertising too.