Institutional Tuition Discount by Income: Private Institutions
In 2011-12, on average, institutional grant aid covered almost half of the published tuition and fees for full-time dependent students from the lower half of the income distribution enrolled in private nonprofit four-year colleges and universities.
Figure 13: Published Tuition and Fees, Institutional Discount, and Net Tuition Revenue over Time at Private Institutions in 2011 Dollars, by Dependency Status and Family Income
Notes & Sources
Notes: Family income quartiles are based on all dependent undergraduate students across all sectors in 2011-12. In 2011 dollars, income categories are: lowest: less than $30,000; second: $30,000 to $64,999; third: $65,000 to $105,999; highest: $106,000 or higher. Institutional discount includes institutional grant aid and tuition and fee waivers. Includes full-time undergraduate students who were U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Data for the for-profit sector have high standard errors and should be interpreted with caution.
Sources: NCES, National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012.
- In 2011-12, on average, institutional grant aid covered 39% ($11,160) of the published tuition and fees for all full-time students at private nonprofit four-year institutions.
- Between 1999-00 and 2011-12, published tuition and fees, institutional discounts, and net tuition paid to institutions all rose most rapidly for low-income dependent students. The rise in published prices may be explained either by relatively large tuition increases at the institutions enrolling lower-income students and/or by more lower-income students enrolling at higher-price private colleges.
- For-profit institutions give very small discounts to students, so the net tuition revenue they collect is only slightly lower than the published price.
- In 2011-12, the average published tuition and fee price facing students in the second income quartile enrolled in private nonprofit four-year colleges and universities was 60% higher than the average price facing similar students in the for-profit sector. However, the net tuition they paid to institutions was 18% lower than the price paid by similar students in the for-profit sector.