While College Tuition Rates Rose by 5.9% to 6.4% in 2008-2009...

Consumer prices dropped by 2.1% for 12 months ending July 2009 (primarily driven by a 28.1% decrease in energy costs.  Note that many economists quote an adjusted CPI number which excludes energy and food.  Since I like to drive and eat I include those figures).  I found these numbers on the College Board site regarding increases in college prices:

Average College Prices 2008-09
Private four-year $25,143 (up 5.9 percent from last year) Public four-year $6,585 (up 6.4 percent from last year)

Why is this important? 
Based on the drop in consumer prices combined with the increases in tuition rates at private and four year colleges, consumers saw a real rate of increase of 8.0%-8.5% in 2008-09, which is quite extraordinary.  If you consider that tuition has increased roughly 6%/year over the past decade and inflation has been 2-3% then real rates of increase have been 3-4%.  It appears that colleges held a tighter line on price increases, with a NAICU survey of private colleges pointing to an expected increase of 4.3% for 2009-10.

So, I thought it was worth highlighting those schools that have kept a lid on tuition and fees.  Here is a list of institutions that I would refer to as the "No Tuition Increase Club for 2009-10:"

• Coconino Community College (Flagstaff, Arizona):  three free credits too
• University of Arkansas - Fayetteville
• Delaware State University
• University of Pittsburgh Regional campuses
• Ohio State University

Comments

[Tony Pals, NAICU]

For your list ...

* Private College Tuition Reductions for 2009-10:

- Davis & Elkins College
- William Jessup University

http://www.naicu.edu/special_initiatives/affordability/about/enhancing-affordability#reductions

* Private College Tuition Freezes for 2009-10:

- Albany Law School
- Becker College
- Benedictine University
- Hillsdale College
- Lake Erie College
- Lincoln Memorial College
- Merrimack College
- Sierra Nevada College
- West Virginia Wesleyan College
- Wheeling Jesuit University
- Yeshiva University

http://www.naicu.edu/special_initiatives/affordability/about/enhancing-affordability#freezes09

* Full List of New Private College Affordability Measures for 2009-10:

http://www.naicu.edu/special_initiatives/affordability/about/enhancing-affordability#2009-10