News

College Costs Have Become Prohibitive and Must Be Carefully Considered in a Divorce Proceeding

It has become, to some extent, routine for parents to agree to be responsible for a child’s college education net of aid and grant at a state university. Such an approach may become problematic given the recent increase in costs, even in community colleges.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 shows institutions with the highest and lowest tuitions and the highest and lowest percentage tuition increases over the last two years, as well as the highest and lowest net price, that is the actual price full-time students pay including room and board, after financial aid like grants and scholarships are taken into account, according to the Nation Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. See their site at http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/.

From 1999 to 2009 tuition at public two-year colleges increased 71%, while the median family income declined 4.9%, adjusted for inflation.

According to the report, the average 2009/2010 tuition at a four-year nonprofit college was $21, 324.00.

The average tuition at public four-year colleges was $10,747.00.

Among public two-year colleges the average tuition was $2,527.00.