Last updated on: 6/22/2023 | Author: ProCon.org

Median Incomes v. Average College Tuition Rates

Source: © gstockstudio/stock.adobe.com

A frequent argument both for and against college is future earnings of college graduates versus the potential income lost while at college. Below, find median annual incomes for men and women as compared to average annual tuitions from 1971-2022 in both 2021/2022 dollars (adjusted for inflation) and current dollars (not adjusted for inflation).

Median Annual Incomes by Sex v. Average Annual College Tuitions
[2021 and 2022 dollars respectively]

YearMedian Annual Income
Men
2021 dollars
Median Annual Income
Women
2021 dollars
Average Annual Tuition, Fees, Room, & Board
4-Year Private Nonprofit Colleges & Universities
2022 dollars
Average Annual Tuition, Fees, Room, & Board
4-Year Public Colleges & Universities
2022 dollars
Academic Year
fall-spring
2022no data yetno data yet$53,430$23,2502022-2023
2021$45,923$30,937$55,980$24,5802021-2022
2020$44,691$30,785$57,350$25,2702020-2021
2019$46,957$31,164$57,240$25,2002019-2020
2018$44,901$29,217$56,430$25,0102018-2019
2017$44,647$28,623$56,270$24,8902017-2018
2016$43,884$28,104$55,450$24,6402016-2017
2015$42,471$27,182$54,330$24,2302015-2016
2014$41,586$25,477$52,620$23,4702014-2015
2013$41,508$25,776$51,600$23,1502013-2014
2012$40,082$25,441$50,420$22,7802012-2013
2011$39,823$25,476$49,540$22,3902011-2012
2010$40,105$25,871$49,080$21,7802010-2011
2009$40,741$26,529$47,970$20,8502009-2010
2008$41,831$26,323$46,070$19,5902008-2009
2007$43,484$27,406$45,280$19,1902007-2008
2006$43,463$26,960$44,400$18,6902006-2007
2005$43,495$25,834$43,190$18,2102005-2006
2004$43,877$25,402$42,680$17,6802004-2005
2003$44,199$25,486$41,560$16,7902003-2004
2002$44,156$25,390$40,570$15,7702002-2003
2001$44,642$25,486$39,540$14,9602001-2002
2000$44,717$25,343$37,900$14,3802000-2001
1999$44,521$24,964$37,840$14,2301999-2000
1998$44,135$24,040$36,840$13,9901998-1999
1997$42,571$23,138$35,400$13,6601997-1998
1996$41,114$22,106$34,340$13,3501996-1997
1995$39,957$21,482$33,470$12,9801995-1996
1994$39,392$20,795$32,670$13,1101994-1995
1993$39,071$20,452$32,090$12,6101993-1994
1992$38,828$20,337$31,440$12,1901992-1993
1991$39,820$20,380$30,570$11,7401991-1992
1990$40,914$20,303$30,270$11,3801990-1991
1989$42,085$20,360$29,720$11,1701989-1990
1988$41,750$19,617$28,920$11,0601988-1989
1987$40,692$18,978$27,020$10,8501987-1988
1986$40,501$18,009$26,370$10,8401986-1987
1985$39,276$17,378$24,270$10,5301985-1986
1984$38,854$17,106$23,870$10,3901984-1985
1983$37,957$16,393$22,860$10,1101983-1984
1982$37,736$15,925$21,680$9,7301982-1983
1981$38,646$15,656$20,440$9,2701981-1982
1980$39,335$15,445$19,910$9,0801980-1981
1979$41,118$15,192$20,250$9,4201979-1980
1978$41,792$15,547$20,750$9,6801978-1979
1977$41,342$16,095$20,530$9,8801977-1978
1976$40,925$15,526$20,530$10,0101976-1977
1975$40,648$15,542$20,070$9,7101975-1976
1974$41,997$15,314$20,360$9,8201974-1975
1973$44,032$15,282$21,280$10,5801973-1974
1972$43,269$15,095$21,690$10,8801972-1973
1971$41,294$14,405$21,230$10,2201971-1972

Median Annual Incomes by Sex v. Average Annual College Tuitions
[current dollars]

YearMedian Annual Income
Men
Median Annual Income
Women
Average Annual Tuition, Fees, Room, & Board
4-Year Private Nonprofit Colleges & Universities
Average Annual Tuition, Fees, Room, & Board
4-Year Public Colleges & Universities
Academic Year
fall-spring
2022no data yetno data yet$53,430$23,2502022-2023
2021$45,923$30,937$51,690$22,7002021-2022
2020$42,697$29,412$50,580$22,2902020-2021
2019$44,310$29,407$49,870$21,9502019-2020
2018$41,615$27,079$48,290$21,4002018-2019
2017$40,395$25,897$47,000$20,7902017-2018
2016$38,869$24,892$45,350$20,1502016-2017
2015$37,138$23,769$43,880$19,5702015-2016
2014$36,302$22,240$42,450$18,9302014-2015
2013$35,630$22,126$40,960$18,3802013-2014
2012$33,904$21,520$39,450$17,8202012-2013
2011$32,986$21,102$37,970$17,1602011-2012
2010$32,205$20,775$36,470$16,1802010-2011
2009$32,184$20,957$35,070$15,2402009-2010
2008$33,161$20,867$33,800$14,3702008-2009
2007$33,196$20,922$31,990$13,5602007-2008
2006$32,265$20,014$30,500$12,8402006-2007
2005$31,275$18,576$28,740$12,1202005-2006
2004$30,516$17,667$27,470$11,3802004-2005
2003$29,931$17,259$26,060$10,5302003-2004
2002$29,238$16,812$24,870$9,6702002-2003
2001$29,101$16,614$23,860$9,0302001-2002
2000$28,343$16,063$22,240$8,4402000-2001
1999$27,293$15,304$21,480$8,0801999-2000
1998$26,492$14,430$20,460$7,7701998-1999
1997$25,212$13,703$19,360$7,4701997-1998
1996$23,834$12,815$18,360$7,1401996-1997
1995$22,562$12,130$17,380$6,7401995-1996
1994$21,720$11,466$16,500$6,6201994-1995
1993$21,102$11,046$15,800$6,2101993-1994
1992$20,455$10,714$15,030$5,8301992-1993
1991$20,469$10,476$14,190$5,4501991-1992
1990$20,293$10,070$13,480$5,0701990-1991
1989$19,893$9,624$12,560$4,7201989-1990
1988$18,908$8,884$11,660$4,4601988-1989
1987$17,786$8,295$10,460$4,2001987-1988
1986$17,114$7,610$9,850$4,0501986-1987
1985$16,311$7,217$8,900$3,8601985-1986
1984$15,600$6,868$8,450$3,6801984-1985
1983$14,631$6,319$7,760$3,4301983-1984
1982$13,950$5,887$7,130$3,2001982-1983
1981$13,473$5,458$6,330$2,8701981-1982
1980$12,530$4,920$5,590$2,5501980-1981
1979$11,779$4,352$5,010$2,3301979-1980
1978$10,935$4,068$4,610$2,1501978-1979
1977$10,123$3,941$4,240$2,0401977-1978
1976$9,426$3,576$3,980$1,9401976-1977
1975$8,853$3,385$3,680$1,7801975-1976
1974$8,452$3,082$3,420$1,6501974-1975
1973$8,056$2,796$3,220$1,6001973-1974
1972$7,450$2,599$3,090$1,5501972-1973
1971$6,903$2,408$2,930$1,4101971-1972

Sources

College Board, “Trends in College Pricing,” research.collegeboard.org, 2022

U.S. Census Bureau, “Historical Income Tables: People,” census.gov, Sep. 15, 2022