How much did a year of tuition at a private 4-year college cost?
A year of tuition at a private 4-year college cost $2,272 in 1975 and $45,000 in 2025: about 20 times as much.
Over the same years, prices in general (US inflation, measured by the consumer price index, CPI) rose about 6 times. That makes $2,272 in 1975 worth about $13,600 in 2025 money. So it got more expensive even after inflation: about 231% more, in real terms, than in 1975.
The biggest change between two listed years came between 1980 and 1985, when it went up 69%, from $3,617 to $6,121.
Private college tuition: price by year
| Year | Price | In 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | $2,272 | $13,600 |
| 1980 | $3,617 | $14,100 |
| 1985 | $6,121 | $18,300 |
| 1990 | $9,340 | $23,000 |
| 1995 | $12,216 | $25,800 |
| 2000 | $16,072 | $30,000 |
| 2005 | $21,235 | $35,000 |
| 2010 | $27,293 | $40,300 |
| 2015 | $32,405 | $44,000 |
| 2020 | $37,650 | $46,800 |
| 2025 | $45,000 | $45,000 |
"In 2025 dollars" adjusts each amount for inflation with the CPI, so the years can be compared fairly. How this works.
Where the numbers come from
The average published price from the College Board's yearly "Trends in College Pricing" report. Each school year is shown under the year it starts (2025 means the 2025-26 year). Many students pay less after grants and aid.
Source: College Board: Trends in College Pricing (2005, 2010, 2015 editions) / Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid (2020, 2025 editions). View the source.
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