COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (AP) - Universities in Idaho have been asking students to make up the difference as state funding has decreased over the last few decades, according to a report.
A report by the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy has found that universities are getting about 47% of their funding from student tuition and fees, the Coeur d’Alene Press reported Friday.
Tuition and fees made up about 7% of universities’ funding in 1980, with state money making up the rest, according to the report released earlier this month.
The average cost for a year of college adjusted for inflation is about $7,800. The average cost was $1,300 in 1980.
“High college cost is a threat to Idaho’s economy at a time when employers are demanding a more educated workforce and when workers with college degrees command far higher salaries than those with only a high school diploma,” the report states.
Tuition this year stayed the same at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, though it raised tuition by $1.50 per credit last year, said Chris Martin, the college’s vice president for finance and business affairs.
“We work hard to make sure that no more than 33% of the revenue comes from student tuition and fees,” Martin said. “We try to balance that state funding and local tax levy so that we’re not overburdening students on their share on the cost of education.”
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Information from: Coeur d’Alene Press, http://www.cdapress.com
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