College Costs Soar

[jeffrey]

If only salaries would rise as rapidly ? and as consistently ? as college costs.

The average tuition for undergrads attending four-year public universities jumped 10.5 percent this year. That helped to push the average price of attendance, including room, board and fees, up $824 to $11,354.

That's one of the findings in "Trends in College Pricing 2004," a report released Tuesday by the College Board, a non-profit membership association of 4,500 schools, colleges and universities.

The tuition increase at public schools isn't as steep as it was last year ? when average tuition rose a record 13 percent ? but it is still high by historical standards.

The average tuition at four-year private colleges, meanwhile, rose 6 percent, raising the total cost of attendance by $1,459 to $27,516... [read more at money.cnn.com]