Fast Facts

Expenditures

Question:
How much do colleges and universities spend on students?

Response:
In 2009–10, average total expenditures per full-time-equivalent (FTE) student at public degree-granting colleges were $26,200. The 2009–10 total expenditures per FTE student were lower than in 2008–09, but about 1 percent higher than in 2003–04, after adjustment for inflation. In 2009–10, public 4-year colleges had average total expenditures per FTE student of $35,700, compared with $11,900 at public 2-year colleges. At private not-for-profit colleges, total expenditures per FTE student rose 6 percent between 2003–04 and 2009–10, after adjustment for inflation. In 2009–10, total expenditures per FTE student at private not-for-profit colleges were $45,900; they averaged $46,100 at 4-year colleges and $19,000 at 2-year colleges. The expenditures per FTE student at private for-profit institutions were $12,400 in 2009–10, which was about 6 percent lower than in 2003–04, after adjustment for inflation. The difference between average expenditures per FTE student at private for-profit 4-year colleges ($12,400) and private for-profit 2-year colleges ($12,600) was relatively small compared to the differences between 2-year and 4-year public and private not-for-profit colleges.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Chapter 3.

Expenditures of public degree-granting institutions per full-time equivalent student, by level of institution: 2003–04 through 2009–10
Year	All institutions	4-year institutions	2-year institutions
In current dollars
2003–04	$22,192	$30,166	$10,158
2004–05	23,084	31,413	10,412
2005–06	24,126	32,483	11,053
2006–07	25,130	33,670	11,609
2007–08	26,802	35,947	12,167
2008–09	27,135	36,707	12,153
2009–10	26,173	35,679	11,902
In constant 2009–10 dollars¹
2003–04	$25,846	$35,134	$11,831
2004–05	26,100	35,517	11,772
2005–06	26,277	35,380	12,039
2006–07	26,681	35,748	12,326
2007–08	27,439	36,802	12,456
2008–09	27,398	37,062	12,270
2009–10	26,173	35,679	11,902

¹Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index, prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis.

NOTE: Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participated in Title IV federal financial aid programs.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Table 377.

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