The Cost of Higher Education in Pennsylvania

The Cost of Higher Education

in Pennsylvania

Report to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education

NOVEMBER 2008

Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education Pennsylvania Department of Education

The cost of attending college in Pennsylvania is a serious and growing concern.

Table of contents 1 The Cost of Higher Education in Pennsylvania 4 Family Resources and the Cost of Attending

College in Pennsylvania 8 PA in the National Context

13 Debt Load and Personal Income of Graduates 15 Impact of College Cost on Pennsylvania Citizens 18Conclusion 20Appendix 24 References

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Edward G. Rendell, Governor

Department of Education Dr. Gerald L. Zahorchak, Secretary

Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education Dr. Kathleen Shaw, Deputy Secretary

Compiled by Dr. David Tandberg, Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary

Pennsylvania Department of Education 333 Market St Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333

November, 2008

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) does not discriminate in its educational programs, activities or employment practices based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, ancestry, union membership, or any other legally protected category. This policy is in accordance with state law, including Pennsylvania's Human Relations Act, and with federal law, including Title IV and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and the American Disabilities Act of 1990.

For more information about the cost of higher education in Pennsylvania visit pde.state.pa.us or call 717-783-9259.

The Cost of Higher Education

in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania enrolls more students in higher education than all but three states in the country. Higher education options abound, ranging from community colleges to public and staterelated universities to a broad array of independent institutions. Pennsylvania can also boast of having one of the largest needbased grant aid programs in the country. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) annually distributes $452 million in grant aid to Pennsylvania college students across the Commonwealth.

Despite all of these merits, the cost of attending college in Pennsylvania is a serious and growing concern. This issue has been exacerbated by recent reports of a student loan crisis that threatens to constrict access to affordable loans and further reduce postsecondary education options.

The Cost of Higher Education in Pennsylvania 1

In September of 2008, the Pennsylvania Board of Education requested that the Deputy Secretary for Postsecondary and Higher Education in the Department of Education conduct research to document whether, and to what extent, the cost of postsecondary education in the state of Pennsylvania constitutes a significant barrier to college access, retention, and graduation. This report is a partial response to that request. It contains data gathered from a variety of sources, including the College Board, PHEAA, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Peterson's Financial Aid Survey, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the annual National Association of State Student Grant & Aid Programs (NASSGAP) Survey. The Pennsylvania Board of Education will collect additional information by means of a survey of Pennsylvania residents that focuses on how families pay for college. Particular emphasis will be placed on the total amount of debt families incur to send students to college, and on the degree to which these debt levels affect going to college or subsequent employment decisions.

2 The Cost of Higher Education in Pennsylvania

The results of this survey will be available in January 2009. Finally, the State Board of Education is conducting a series of five hearings across the state to receive testimony on college cost and debt burden, and on how these factors affect decisions regarding college attendance and employment.

This report is organized into four main sections. First, data are presented on the cost of attending college in Pennsylvania, and on families' ability to pay for college. Second, the report places Pennsylvania in the national context by comparing the cost of attending college in Pennsylvania and the debt load of Pennsylvania students to the national average and nine comparison state averages. Likewise, personal income data in Pennsylvania are compared nationally as well. Finally, relevant information garnered from the 2006 A Rising Tide report on Pennsylvania higher education is reviewed.

The Cost of Higher Education in Pennsylvania 3

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