Changes in US College Tuition and Fees

This map explains the 10 year change in tuition within the United States between the years 2004 and 2015. The key holds a color palette that makes it easier to see the percentage change over the years. Based off of the map, most states had increased tuition by 40 to 60%.

For example, Michigan has increased by 51%. In 2004 the average cost of tuition per semester was $7,931. Over the span of 10 years it has risen to $11,991. This may have been because of inflation along with a decrease in state funding. Hawaii on the other hand had a 138% increase between 2004 and 2015. Within that time tuition rose all the way from $4,267 to $10,175. This makes Hawaii the state with the highest change in tuition in the nation.

Case of Michigan

Given Michigan’s increase in tuition, some are no longer able to afford higher education. Because of this, the enrollment rate has fallen in colleges throughout the state.

In this symbol map, it shows the decline of enrollment in universities around Michigan in 2019. The size of the dots indicate the percent of decline. The reason for these declines have many factors to them.

One of the reasons for these declines could be because of the location of the university. Central Michigan University has had a 10% decline over the past year since Mount Pleasant is considered a “destination school.” Compared to Wayne State in the southeast, Central Michigan is not located in a large city with a lot of other towns by it. That being said, with not as many towns surrounding Mount Pleasant, less people want to attend because of the distance.