College isn't cheap. It's not even affordable in many instances. Where higher education in other countries comes free if one's exam scores are high enough to get in, U.S. students get the insult of having to have high scores and then still pay out of their nose for 10-20 years of debt as well to get the same quality training, or at least the university name credentials.

Average Cost of College in 2019

In 2019, the average cost of college education in the United States reached record highs. According to the country's College Board, the average annual tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year institutions was approximately $10,440. These are folks who are already residents of the state they go to school in. Private schools are usually twice to three times as much, if not more. For out-of-state students, the cost was significantly higher, averaging around $26,820. Private nonprofit four-year institutions had an average tuition and fees of roughly $36,880.

Average Cost of College in 2020

The year 2020 was marked by a global pandemic that had far-reaching implications, including the cost of education. The College Board reported a slight increase in college costs compared to the previous year. The average annual tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year institutions rose to approximately $10,560, while out-of-state students faced an average cost of $27,020. Private nonprofit four-year institutions experienced a more substantial increase, with average tuition and fees reaching around $37,650. This a bit surprising data-wise. One would have thought, given the pandemic, that prices would have come down due to less demand and people delaying college until the pandemic passed. Nope, when there's less demand, the college market jack up the prices on those remaining and dumb enough to still go to school anyways.

Projected Average Cost of College in 2023

Officially, predicting future trends is challenging, particularly given the numerous factors influencing the cost of education. However, given the expected return post-pandemic, and the fact that many of the schools believe they have lost revenue to make up, spiking tuition costs are almost certain. The average annual tuition and fees for in-state students at public four-year institutions could reach around $11,000 in 2023, and out-of-state students may face an average cost of approximately $28,500. Private nonprofit four-year institutions may see their average tuition and fees climb to about $39,500.

While everybody is complaining about rising costs, anytime someone tries to do something about in the U.S., they are accused of socialism. Ironically, a basic similar education can be had for peanuts at local community colleges and then transferring to a public university for the second two years, but culturally this is still looked down upon. Spending your future in student loans for a better-name school is still considered the "right" path for a proper higher education. It's no surprise then many are pushing the shocking paradigm of just focusing on skill-training and skipping college entirely. Now if the rest of the world could just get with the program...