Among the most contentious issues these days are inflation and student debt. American wages and consumer prices have been rising sharply in recent months, and the Federal Reserve has been under pressure to raise interest rates to tame inflation. Rising student debt is another hot political topic and has given rise to calls for loan forgiveness. (These are 50 U.S. counties with the most student debt.)
The two issues of inflation and student debt are relevant when it comes to rising tuition costs. The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the problem, as staff shortages have resulted in some colleges having to increase wages and benefits. Meanwhile, many students forced to take classes online feel they haven’t been getting value for their money. (This is the most expensive college in every state.)
Though inflation will likely cause tuition increases in the near future, tuition costs have been rising for decades, with some colleges hiking prices more than others. To determine the colleges with the largest tuition hikes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed historical tuition data from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. The 45 institutions on our list all had tuition and fees increase of more than 20% from 2015-16 to 2020-21.
The school with the largest tuition hike from 2015-16 to 2020-21 is Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri, where tuition increased by an eye-popping 195%, although the nearly triple increase was from a relatively low base.
Two schools in Texas are ranked second and third: Texas A&M University-Commerce, where tuition rose more than 58%, and Wayland Baptist University, where tuition rose almost 56%. Texas A&M University-Commerce, however, does not look so bad when you look at some other figures. Tuition and fees were still under $10,000 in 2020-21, and 74% of undergraduates were receiving aid.
Click here to see the colleges with the biggest tuition hikes
Click here to see our detailed methodology
45. West Liberty University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 21.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,150
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 69.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,125
> Location: West Liberty, WV
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44. Saint Francis University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 22.1%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $39,278
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 68.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,279
> Location: Loretto, PA
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43. Missouri Baptist University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 22.9%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $29,360
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 37.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 4,046
> Location: Saint Louis, MO
42. James Madison University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 23.1%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $12,330
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 35.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 19,727
> Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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41. University of Charleston
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 23.4%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $32,200
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 71.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,115
> Location: Charleston, WV
40. The University of Texas at Arlington
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 23.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $11,378
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 58.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 35,064
> Location: Arlington, TX
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39. Minot State University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 23.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $7,896
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 70.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,656
> Location: Minot, ND
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38. Arkansas Tech University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 23.8%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $7,668
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 68.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 10,110
> Location: Russellville, AR
37. Colorado College
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 24.2%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $60,864
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 48.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,025
> Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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36. University of Mary Washington
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 24.4%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $13,845
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 72.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,993
> Location: Fredericksburg, VA
35. University of Virginia-Main Campus
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 24.8%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $18,960
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 48.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 17,310
> Location: Charlottesville, VA
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34. Tarleton State University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 24.8%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,276
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 66.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 11,893
> Location: Stephenville, TX
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33. University of Houston-Downtown
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 24.9%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $7,222
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 74.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 13,663
> Location: Houston, TX
32. Missouri Western State University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 25.2%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,875
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 65.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 4,717
> Location: Saint Joseph, MO
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31. North Dakota State University-Main Campus
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 25.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $10,168
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 64.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 10,555
> Location: Fargo, ND
30. Texas A&M University-College Station
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 25.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $12,783
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 62.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 55,568
> Location: College Station, TX
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29. MidAmerica Nazarene University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 25.7%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $32,872
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 69.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 1,222
> Location: Olathe, KS
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28. Western Colorado University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 26.0%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $10,646
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 52.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,749
> Location: Gunnison, CO
27. Salem State University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 26.3%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $11,675
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 73.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 5,716
> Location: Salem, MA
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26. Westfield State University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 26.4%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $11,139
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 53.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 4,633
> Location: Westfield, MA
25. University of Alaska Fairbanks
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 26.5%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $7,176
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 49.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 5,850
> Location: Fairbanks, AK
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24. West Virginia State University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 26.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,437
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 36.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,502
> Location: Institute, WV
23. Hampton University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 26.8%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $29,312
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 72.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,063
> Location: Hampton, VA
22. Miami University-Hamilton
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 26.9%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $6,565
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 47.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,451
> Location: Hamilton, OH
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21. Oregon Institute of Technology
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 27.5%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $11,269
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 42.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 5,184
> Location: Klamath Falls, OR
20. University of Central Oklahoma
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 28.2%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $7,817
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 65.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 12,564
> Location: Edmond, OK
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19. The University of Texas at Dallas
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 28.8%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $13,992
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 68.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 21,187
> Location: Richardson, TX
18. University of Houston-Clear Lake
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 29.3%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $7,504
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 66.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 6,582
> Location: Houston, TX
17. University of Southern Indiana
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 29.4%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $9,285
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 66.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 8,431
> Location: Evansville, IN
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16. University of Missouri-Kansas City
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 29.5%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $10,145
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 49.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 11,027
> Location: Kansas City, MO
15. The University of Texas at El Paso
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 30.2%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $9,450
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 72.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 21,117
> Location: El Paso, TX
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14. Dickinson State University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 31.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,122
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 61.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 1,381
> Location: Dickinson, ND
13. Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 32.3%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $13,144
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 72.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 8,002
> Location: Indiana, PA
12. Eastern Michigan University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 32.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $13,810
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 68.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 13,572
> Location: Ypsilanti, MI
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11. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 32.6%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,410
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 47.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 880
> Location: Kansas City, MO
10. University of Holy Cross
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 32.8%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $15,280
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 68.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 784
> Location: New Orleans, LA
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9. Delta State University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 32.9%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,121
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 64.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,331
> Location: Cleveland, MS
8. University of Connecticut
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 33.4%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $17,834
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 65.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 18,917
> Location: Storrs, CT
7. Metropolitan State University of Denver
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 35.4%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,693
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 59.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 17,988
> Location: Denver, CO
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6. AdventHealth University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 52.0%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $19,800
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 61.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 1,249
> Location: Orlando, FL
5. Massachusetts Maritime Academy
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 53.2%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $11,687
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 43.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 1,538
> Location: Buzzards Bay, MA
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4. University of Alaska Anchorage
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 55.5%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $8,622
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 44.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 11,323
> Location: Anchorage, AK
3. Wayland Baptist University
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 55.7%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $21,304
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 55.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,015
> Location: Plainview, TX
2. Texas A&M University-Commerce
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 58.3%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $9,820
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 74.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 8,349
> Location: Commerce, TX
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1. Columbia College
> Tuition and fees increase, 2015-16 to 2020-21: 195.1%
> Tuition and fees, 2020-21: $24,320
> Percentage of undergraduates receiving aid: 59.0%
> Undergraduate enrollment: 7,861
> Location: Columbia, MO
Methodology
To determine the colleges with the largest tuition hikes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed historical tuition data from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. Colleges with at least 1,000 students that predominantly grant bachelor’s degrees were ranked based on the percentage increase in published in-state tuition and fees from the 2015-16 school year to the 2020-21 school year. Only schools in which the percentage change in annual net price over the same period increased by at least 5%, and in which the percentage change in average annual amount of federal, state, local, institutional, or other sources of grant aid awarded per student did not exceed the increase in in-state tuition and fees, were included. Schools in which 75% or more undergraduates receive federal, state, local, institutional, or other sources of grant aid were excluded. Supplemental data on undergraduate enrollment in Fall 2020 also came from the NCES.
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