College Affordability and Transparency List

The lists were generated using data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). IPEDS is a mandatory data collection for institutions that participate in or are applicants for participation in any federal student financial aid program authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 USC 1094, Section 487(a)(17) and 34 CFR 668.14(b)(19)).

The lists are based on data collected during the IPEDS data collection cycle, the most recent data that have undergone the full NCES data review process and been publicly released via the IPEDS Data Center. Institutions had the following year to review their submitted data through NCES publications, College Navigator, and the Data Center. Updated data submitted in the Prior Year Revision System are not included in the CATC lists because a full data review of the revised data is not possible by the July 1 release date. Furthermore, the Prior Year Revision System only allows for updates for the most current year of average net price, which means the required average net price from needed to calculate the three-year change cannot be updated. Thus, data cannot be revised after the CATC lists have been released to the public.

The College Affordability and Transparency Center includes multiple lists as described below.

Not all institutions have the same tuition and fee structure. While the law calls for lists of prices based on academic year charges, some institutions charge by entire programs rather than by academic year. Many of these IPEDS “program reporters” are career and vocational institutions. For the lists based on highest and lowest tuition and fees and net prices, institutions that report charges by program were extracted from the institutional sector based lists and listed by program instead.

"Program Reporter" Example

There are approximately 30 four-year institutions that report their charges to IPEDS by program rather than by academic year. Typically, these institutions offer career and vocational programs. Among two-year institutions and less-than-two year institutions, program reporters are more prevalent.

Provided below is an example of two four-year institutions (e.g., at least one of their programs offered requires four years of study) that report to IPEDS based on program charges for their largest program rather than on academic year charges:

The tuition and required fees lists are based on data collected in Fall in the cost of attendance section of the IPEDS’ Institutional Characteristics (IC) component. The cost of attendance is an institution’s estimate of the total amount of tuition and required fees that a full-time, first-time degree-seeking undergraduate student will pay to attend the institution for the academic year, before financial aid is considered. For institutions that charge a comprehensive fee (a combined tuition, required fees, and room and board charge) for an academic year, the comprehensive fee was used as tuition and required fees.

Net price data were collected in Winter on the IPEDS’ Student Financial Aid (SFA) component. Net price lists were generated from the average net price for a full-time, first-time degree-seeking undergraduate student who received grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution. For public institutions that report tuition and fees for the full academic year, the average net price is based on students paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate and who received grant or scholarship aid from the federal government, state/local government, or the institution.

Highest and lowest tuition and fees and net price lists were generated for institutions that have full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and report tuition and required fees for the full academic year. The 10th and 95th percentile for tuition and required fees and net price were generated by sector. Institutions were placed on the highest tuition and required fees list or net price list if their tuition and required fees or net price was greater than or equal to the 95th percentile of tuition and required fees or net price for their sector. Institutions were placed on the lowest tuition and required fees list or net price list if their tuition and required fees or net price was less than or equal to the 10th percentile of tuition and required fees or net price for their sector.

Highest increase in tuition and required fees and net price lists were calculated for institutions that have full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students and report tuition and required fees for the full academic year and for institutions that report tuition and required fees by program. For institutions reporting by program, the tuition and fees and the average net price of the institution’s largest program were used. Percent changes were generated as follows:

Percent change in tuition and required fees = ((tuition & fees – tuition & fees ) / tuition and fees ) * 100

Percent change in net price = ((average net price – average net price ) / average net price ) * 100

The 95th percentile for percent change in tuition and required fees and net price were generated by sector. Institutions were placed on the highest increase in tuition and required fees list or highest increase in net price list if their percent change in tuition and required fees or net price was greater than or equal to the 95th percentile increase in tuition and required fees or net price for their sector.