Private University Tuition Price History
1970–2025 · College Board / NCES
Average annual tuition and required fees at four-year private nonprofit universities in the United States, from 1970 to 2025. Private college has always carried a hefty price tag, but the trajectory over the past half-century is genuinely staggering. In 1970, a year at a private school ran about $1,700 — expensive for the time, but still within reach for a middle-class family willing to tighten the belt. Fast-forward to 2025 and that number has ballooned past $44,000. The increases weren't gradual, either — the late '80s and early 2000s saw some truly eye-watering jumps that left families scrambling.
Price in 1970
$1,706.00
Price in 2025
$44,700.00
Total Change
+2520.2%
Years Tracked
55
Private University Tuition Over Time
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- Private university tuition has grown from $1,706 in 1970 to $44,700 in 2025 — a 2,520% increase that makes even public school tuition hikes look tame by comparison.
- The 2000s were brutal for private college affordability. Tuition nearly doubled from $15,712 in 2000 to $26,740 in 2010, averaging close to 6% annual growth and outpacing both inflation and wage gains by a wide margin.
- Growth has slowed somewhat since 2020, with annual increases closer to 3-4%. The pandemic briefly flattened the curve as schools faced enrollment pressure and had to think twice about sticker-price increases.
- Between 1985 and 1995, tuition roughly doubled from $6,440 to $12,432. This was the decade when the idea of private college as a financial stretch turned into private college as a financial crisis for many families.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per year) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $1,706.00 | — |
| 1975 | $2,614.00 | +53.2% |
| 1980 | $3,811.00 | +45.8% |
| 1981 | $4,275.00 | +12.2% |
| 1982 | $4,837.00 | +13.1% |
| 1983 | $5,373.00 | +11.1% |
| 1984 | $5,891.00 | +9.6% |
| 1985 | $6,440.00 | +9.3% |
| 1986 | $7,048.00 | +9.4% |
| 1987 | $7,693.00 | +9.2% |
| 1988 | $8,321.00 | +8.2% |
| 1989 | $8,881.00 | +6.7% |
| 1990 | $9,340.00 | +5.2% |
| 1991 | $10,017.00 | +7.2% |
| 1992 | $10,706.00 | +6.9% |
| 1993 | $11,338.00 | +5.9% |
| 1994 | $11,909.00 | +5.0% |
| 1995 | $12,432.00 | +4.4% |
| 1996 | $13,007.00 | +4.6% |
| 1997 | $13,664.00 | +5.1% |
| 1998 | $14,275.00 | +4.5% |
| 1999 | $14,986.00 | +5.0% |
| 2000 | $15,712.00 | +4.8% |
| 2001 | $16,782.00 | +6.8% |
| 2002 | $17,820.00 | +6.2% |
| 2003 | $18,950.00 | +6.3% |
| 2004 | $20,045.00 | +5.8% |
| 2005 | $21,235.00 | +5.9% |
| 2006 | $22,218.00 | +4.6% |
| 2007 | $23,320.00 | +5.0% |
| 2008 | $24,550.00 | +5.3% |
| 2009 | $25,680.00 | +4.6% |
| 2010 | $26,740.00 | +4.1% |
| 2011 | $28,000.00 | +4.7% |
| 2012 | $29,056.00 | +3.8% |
| 2013 | $30,094.00 | +3.6% |
| 2014 | $31,231.00 | +3.8% |
| 2015 | $32,405.00 | +3.8% |
| 2016 | $33,480.00 | +3.3% |
| 2017 | $34,740.00 | +3.8% |
| 2018 | $35,830.00 | +3.1% |
| 2019 | $36,880.00 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | $37,650.00 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $38,070.00 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $39,400.00 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $41,540.00 | +5.4% |
| 2024 | $43,200.00 | +4.0% |
| 2025 | $44,700.00 | +3.5% |
Sources & Methodology
College Board Trends in College Pricing data combined with NCES Digest of Education Statistics. Figures represent average published tuition and required fees at four-year private nonprofit institutions. Does not include room, board, or other living expenses.
Primary source: College Board / NCES
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.