Cost of College the Year You Graduated High School

It’s well-known that the cost of college has been climbing, but college tuition increases at both public and private universities isn’t a recent trend. College costs have been increasing significantly for decades, making it increasingly harder to afford a higher education.

To see just how much the price tag on a postsecondary education has grown each year, GOBankingRates analyzed data on four-year institutions from the National Center for Education Statistics and the College Board, starting in 1964, the first year this data was collected. Note that the data from 1964-70 also includes the costs for two-year institutions. Costs are in current dollars.

From 1964 to 2019, the average annual cost of a four-year public school has soared by about 3,819%. The average annual cost of a four-year private school has jumped 2,998%. To better understand the rising cost of college, take a closer look at how much tuition and fees increased from year to year.

The Cost of College in 1964-65

Average cost of public school: $261
Average cost of private school: $1,160

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The Cost of College in 1965-66

Average cost of public school: $284
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 8.8%
Average cost of private school: $1,128
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.9%

The Cost of College in 1966-67

Average cost of public school: $310
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 9.2%
Average cost of private school: $1,309
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.6%

The Cost of College in 1967-68

Average cost of public school: $317
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.3%
Average cost of private school: $1,386
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.9%

The Cost of College in 1968-69

Average cost of public school: $329
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.8%
Average cost of private school: $1,487
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 7.3%

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The Cost of College in 1969-70

Average cost of public school: $367
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 11.6%
Average cost of private school: $1,639
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 10.2%

The Cost of College in 1970-71

Average cost of public school: $405
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 10.4%
Average cost of private school: $1,792
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.3%

The Cost of College in 1971-72

Average cost of a four-year public school: $430
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.2%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $1,830
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 2.1%

The Cost of College in 1972-73

Average cost of a four-year public school: $500
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 16.3%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $1,950
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.6%

The Cost of College in 1973-74

Average cost of a four-year public school: $510
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,050
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.1%

The Cost of College in 1974-75

Average cost of a four-year public school: $510
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 0%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,130
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.9%

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The Cost of College in 1975-76

Average cost of a four-year public school: $540
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 5.9%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,290
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 7.5%

The Cost of College in 1976-77

Average cost of a four-year public school: $620
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 14.8%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,530
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 10.5%

The Cost of College in 1977-78

Average cost of a four-year public school: $660
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,700
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%

The Cost of College in 1978-79

Average cost of a four-year public school: $690
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $2,960
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.6%

The Cost of College in 1979-80

Average cost of a four-year public school: $740
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.2%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $3,230
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.1%

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The Cost of College in 1980-81

Average cost of a four-year public school: $800
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 8.1%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $3,620
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 12.1%

The Cost of College in 1981-82

Average cost of a four-year public school: $910
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 13.8%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $4,110
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 13.5%

The Cost of College in 1982-83

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,030
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 13.2%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $4,640
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 12.9%

The Cost of College in 1983-84

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,150
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 11.7%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $5,090
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.7%

The Cost of College in 1984-85

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,230
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $5,560
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 9.2%

The Cost of College in 1985-86

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,320
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.3%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $6,120
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 10.1%

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The Cost of College in 1986-87

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,410
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.8%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $6,660
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 8.8%

The Cost of College in 1987-88

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,490
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 5.7%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $7,050
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.9%

The Cost of College in 1988-89

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,580
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $8,000
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 13.5%

The Cost of College in 1989-90

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,700
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.6%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $8,660
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 8.3%

The Cost of College in 1990-91

Average cost of a four-year public school: $1,910
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 12.4%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $9,340
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 7.9%

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The Cost of College in 1991-92

Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,110
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 10.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $9,810
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5%

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The Cost of College in 1992-93

Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,330
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 10.4%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $10,450
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.5%

The Cost of College in 1993-94

Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,540
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 9%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $11,010
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.4%

The Cost of College in 1994-95

Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,710
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $11,720
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.4%

The Cost of College in 1995-96

Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,810
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.7%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $12,220
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4.3%

The Cost of College in 1996-97

Average cost of a four-year public school: $2,980
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $12,990
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.3%

The Cost of College in 1997-98

Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,250
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $14,710
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%

The Cost of College in 1998-99

Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,250
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $14,710
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%

The Cost of College in 1999-2000

Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,360
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.4%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $15,520
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.5%

The Cost of College in 2000-01

Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,510
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $16,070
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.5%

The Cost of College in 2001-02

Average cost of a four-year public school: $3,770
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.4%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $17,380
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 8.2%

The Cost of College in 2002-03

Average cost of a four-year public school: $4,100
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 8.8%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $18,060
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.9%

The Cost of College in 2003-04

Average cost of a four-year public school: $4,650
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 13.4%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $18,950
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4.9%

The Cost of College in 2004-05

Average cost of a four-year public school: $5,130
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 10.3%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $20,050
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5.8%

The Cost of College in 2005-06

Average cost of a four-year public school: $5,490
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $20,980
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4.6%

The Cost of College in 2006-07

Average cost of a four-year public school: $5,800
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 5.6%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $22,310
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6.3%

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The Cost of College in 2007-08

Average cost of a four-year public school: $6,190
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.7%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $23,420
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 5%

The Cost of College in 2008-09

Average cost of a four-year public school: $6,600
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 6.6%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $24,820
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 6%

The Cost of College in 2009-10

Average cost of a four-year public school: $7,070
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.1%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $25,740
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.7%

The Cost of College in 2010-11

Average cost of a four-year public school: $7,630
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 7.9%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $26,770
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4%

The Cost of College in 2011-12

Average cost of a four-year public school: $8,280
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 8.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $27,880
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4.1%

The Cost of College in 2012-13

Average cost of a four-year public school: $8,650
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 4.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $28,990
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 4%

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The Cost of College in 2013-14

Average cost of a four-year public school: $8,890
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.8%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $30,130
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.9%

The Cost of College in 2014-15

Average cost of a four-year public school: $9,150
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.9%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $31,280
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.8%

The Cost of College in 2015-16

Average cost of a four-year public school: $9,430
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.1%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $32,340
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.4%

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The Cost of College in 2016-17

Average cost of a four-year public school: $9,670
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $33,500
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.6%

The Cost of College in 2017-18

Average cost of a four-year public school: $9,980
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 3.2%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $34,700
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.6%

The Cost of College in 2018-19

Average cost of a four-year public school: $10,230
Public school cost increase from the prior year: 2.5%
Average cost of a four-year private school: $35,830
Private school cost increase from the prior year: 3.3%

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Cost of College the Year You Graduated High School