Inflation, CPI & Purchasing Power · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
U.S. College Tuition & Fees Inflation by Year (1978-2025)
College tuition and fixed fees have risen faster than almost any other consumer expenditure category over the past four decades, outpacing headline CPI inflation by more than 2.5x since 1980. In 2025, college tuition cpi recorded 891.1Index (1982-84=100), compared with 863.2 in 2024. Across the 48-year archive (1978-2025), readings have ranged between 59.8 (1978) and 891.1 (2025).
Series Summary Ledger
- 2025 Reading891.1
- 2024 Reading863.2
- All-Time High (2025)891.1
- All-Time Low (1978)59.8
- Reporting UnitIndex (1982-84=100)
- Series CodeCUSR0000SEEB
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) · 1978-2025
U.S. College Tuition & Fees Inflation by Year (1978-2025)
2025 Reading: 891.1 Index (1982-84=100)
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DECADE BENCHMARKS (1950s-2020s)
College Tuition CPI by Decade
| Decade | Mean | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 62.2 | 59.8 | 64.7 |
| 1980s | 115.4 | 71.2 | 162.7 |
| 1990s | 244.5 | 175.7 | 308.4 |
| 2000s | 430.2 | 323.9 | 549.0 |
| 2010s | 672.6 | 573.2 | 762.8 |
| 2020s | 827.9 | 777.7 | 891.1 |
College Tuition CPI Year-by-Year Historical Table (1978-2025)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (CUSR0000SEEB)| Year | College Tuition CPI (Index (1982-84=100)) | Annual Change | Annual Tuition Inflation (% YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 891.1 | +27.9 | 3.23 |
| 2024 | 863.2 | +26.7 | 3.19 |
| 2023 | 836.5 | +26.5 | 3.27 |
| 2022 | 810.0 | +21.4 | 2.71 |
| 2021 | 788.7 | +11.0 | 1.41 |
| 2020 | 777.7 | +15.0 | 1.96 |
| 2019 | 762.8 | +21.5 | 2.90 |
| 2018 | 741.3 | +16.6 | 2.29 |
| 2017 | 724.7 | +16.5 | 2.34 |
| 2016 | 708.1 | +19.3 | 2.81 |
| 2015 | 688.8 | +24.0 | 3.61 |
| 2014 | 664.8 | +21.1 | 3.28 |
| 2013 | 643.7 | +22.7 | 3.65 |
| 2012 | 621.0 | +23.8 | 3.98 |
| 2011 | 597.2 | +24.0 | 4.19 |
| 2010 | 573.2 | +24.2 | 4.41 |
| 2009 | 549.0 | +26.9 | 5.15 |
| 2008 | 522.1 | +28.0 | 5.67 |
| 2007 | 494.1 | +26.0 | 5.56 |
| 2006 | 468.0 | +27.2 | 6.17 |
| 2005 | 440.8 | +26.6 | 6.42 |
| 2004 | 414.3 | +27.7 | 7.15 |
| 2003 | 386.6 | +24.6 | 6.78 |
| 2002 | 362.0 | +21.0 | 6.17 |
| 2001 | 341.0 | +17.1 | 5.28 |
| 2000 | 323.9 | +15.6 | 5.05 |
| 1999 | 308.4 | +14.1 | 4.79 |
| 1998 | 294.3 | +13.9 | 4.95 |
| 1997 | 280.4 | +13.2 | 4.95 |
| 1996 | 267.1 | +13.3 | 5.24 |
| 1995 | 253.8 | +14.0 | 5.83 |
| 1994 | 239.8 | +14.6 | 6.46 |
| 1993 | 225.3 | +16.8 | 8.08 |
| 1992 | 208.5 | +17.1 | 8.95 |
| 1991 | 191.3 | +15.6 | 8.91 |
| 1990 | 175.7 | +13.0 | 8.00 |
| 1989 | 162.7 | +11.6 | 7.70 |
| 1988 | 151.0 | +11.1 | 7.90 |
| 1987 | 140.0 | +10.4 | 8.02 |
| 1986 | 129.6 | +9.9 | 8.25 |
| 1985 | 119.7 | +10.0 | 9.06 |
| 1984 | 109.8 | +10.1 | 10.12 |
| 1983 | 99.7 | +9.2 | 10.14 |
| 1982 | 90.5 | +10.6 | 13.27 |
| 1981 | 79.9 | +8.7 | 12.24 |
| 1980 | 71.2 | +6.5 | 10.08 |
| 1979 | 64.7 | +4.9 | 8.18 |
| 1978 | 59.8 | - | - |
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