Public College Tuition History: In-State 4-Year, 2014–2026
Average published tuition and fees at a public 4-year college (in-state) was $11,950 per year as of Oct 2026, according to College Board. That is unchanged from a year earlier. Since January 2018 ($9,980), it is up 19.7%. In our data, which starts Sep 2014, the highest price was $11,950 (since Sep 2025) and the lowest was $9,150 (Sep 2014).
Public College Tuition History since Sep 2014
College tuition & fees, public 4-year in-state (1 year). Monthly values, step series. Weight in the Real Inflation index: 2.3%.
College tuition: every recorded change
| Effective | Price | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2014 | $9,150 | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2014-15 | |
| Sep 2015 | $9,430 | +3.1% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2015-16 |
| Sep 2016 | $9,670 | +2.5% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2016-17 |
| Sep 2017 | $9,980 | +3.2% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2017-18 |
| Sep 2018 | $10,210 | +2.3% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2018-19 |
| Sep 2019 | $10,440 | +2.3% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2019-20 |
| Sep 2020 | $10,570 | +1.2% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2020-21 |
| Sep 2021 | $10,750 | +1.7% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2021-22 |
| Sep 2022 | $10,990 | +2.2% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2022-23 |
| Sep 2023 | $11,310 | +2.9% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2023-24 |
| Sep 2024 | $11,610 | +2.7% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2024-25 |
| Sep 2025 | $11,950 | +2.9% | College Board TCP 2025 Table CP-2, 2025-26 |
Price in January of each year
| Year | January price | vs year before |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $9,150 | |
| 2016 | $9,430 | +3.1% |
| 2017 | $9,670 | +2.5% |
| 2018 | $9,980 | +3.2% |
| 2019 | $10,210 | +2.3% |
| 2020 | $10,440 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $10,570 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $10,750 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $10,990 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $11,310 | +2.9% |
| 2025 | $11,610 | +2.7% |
| 2026 | $11,950 | +2.9% |
Source
research.collegeboard.org
Download the full history (CSV, item_id
college_tuition_public)Notes and caveats
- College Board Trends in College Pricing 2025, Table CP-2, enrollment-weighted average published tuition and fees, current dollars. Applied from Sept 1 of each academic year. College Board revises past years slightly each edition; values are from the 2025 edition.
- Step series: each price applies from its change date until the next change. Monthly values hold the price in effect that month.
FAQ
How much is public college tuition now?
Average published tuition and fees at a public 4-year college (in-state) was $11,950 per year as of Oct 2026 (0.0% vs a year earlier). Source: College Board, Trends in College Pricing (Table CP-2).
How much was public college tuition in 2018?
In January 2018 average published tuition and fees at a public 4-year college (in-state) was $9,980 per year. Since then it has changed +19.7%.
When was public college tuition most expensive?
In our data (starting Sep 2014), the highest price was $11,950 (since Sep 2025). The lowest was $9,150 (Sep 2014).
When did the price of public college tuition last change?
The most recent change in our data took effect Sep 2025: from $11,610 to $11,950 (+2.9%). We have 11 recorded changes since Sep 2014.
How often is this page updated?
We re-check this item on every weekly refresh and record each official change with its effective date.