College is a key moment in many young people's lives and deciding where to study can be a difficult decision—with expense often a key consideration.
And while the net price for tuition fees at some U.S. colleges has decreased in recent years, longer-term trends suggest the current crop of students pay more for higher education than their parents' generation.
Even when accounting for scholarships and student grants, a new study shows significant discrepancies in college tuition costs, with a handful doubling over the last decade.
Bill Staib, CEO of College Raptor, the company that conducting this analysis, believes costs play a critical part in the college search process for most families.
He told Newsweek: "We encourage students to focus on 'net' price, which is the 'sticker' price minus grants and scholarships.
"In building these lists, we found some good news: many colleges offer lower net prices than they did a decade ago."
He added: "By knowing net price before finalizing their college list, students are more likely to complete college and graduate with less debt."
College Raptor sourced the data from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS data center up to the most recent reporting year (2019-2020). This revealed the average tuition cost of the 15 colleges featured in this study was $23,616.
For a comparison analysts looked at the recorded rise in tuition costs over the last 10 years.
Using the identical methodology, analysts calculated the following institution have cut their tuition fees over the same period by the amounts shown: Hallmark University ($26,265), Stevens-Henager College ($20,588) and University of Guam ($17,905).
Researchers examined the average net price for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates paying the in-state or in-district tuition rate who were awarded grant or scholarship aid from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.
They added: "Other sources of grant aid are excluded. A difference between the 2019-2020 and 2009-2010 academic years was used to determine the schools with the largest increase in net price.
"Average net price is generated by subtracting the average amount of federal, state or local government, or institutional grant and scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance.
"Total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state), books and supplies and the weighted average room and board and other expenses.
"Applicable to public and private not-for-profit institutions offering at least a bachelor's degree since the 2009-2010 academic year that do not meet the Carnegie classification signifying a specialty school."
All colleges named in this rundown have been contacted for comment.
15. Scripps College ($16,245 increase in past decade)
Founded in 1926, Scripps College is a private liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California.
The most popular majors at the small-sized institution include biology, psychology, and political science and government.
14. Connecticut College (+$17,010)
This is a highly rated private liberal arts college located on a campus in New London, Connecticut.
Popular majors at this small institution include psychology, economics, and political science and government.
13. Touro College (+$17,157)
Established in 1971, Touro College is a private Jewish university in New York, where tuition costs have reported tripled (by 309%) in the past decade—the second largest in this study.
Popular majors at this small institution for higher education include liberal arts and humanities, psychology, and health service preparatory studies
12. Spelman College (+$17,516)
Spelman is a private women's liberal arts college located in Atlanta.
Popular majors at this college graduating a reported 75 percent of its students include Psychology, Political Science and Government, and Biology.
11. Bryn Mawr College (+$17,699)
This elite women's liberal arts college based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1885.
Popular majors at this highly ranked college include psychology, mathematics and English.
10. Southern New Hampshire University (+$17,841)
SNHU is a private college located between Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire.
Popular majors at this relatively large institution include business, liberal arts and humanities, and psychology.
A spokesperson for SNHU told Newsweek that the university had implemented a a five-year tuition freeze on campus and has extended a 10-year tuition freeze for online programs through 2022.
They said the university had "radically reduced campus tuition" to offer a "more affordable, flexible" tiered rate of $15,000 a year, or $10,000 a year starting in fall 2021.
"SNHU is committed to keeping higher education accessible and affordable for learners across the globe," they added.
9. University of San Francisco (+$17,875)
The University of San Francisco is a private Jesuit college located in California.
The most popular majors at this high ranked academic institution include nursing, business and finance.
8. Vanguard University of Southern California (+$18,098)
Vanguard University is a private college based in Costa Mesa, California.
The average net price of attending this college has increased by more than five times (507%)—the largest growth seen in this study.
In response, a VU spokesperson noted that IPEDS data showed the college's listed tuition fees had only increased 73 percent ($34,500-$25,452) during the 10 year period.
As noted above, the figures in this study reflect change in average net price: cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
7. Tuskegee University (+$19,251)
Tuskegee is a private small-sized college with a fairly competitive acceptance rate, based in Tuskegee, Alabama.
Popular majors at this university include mechanical engineering, biology, and animal sciences and husbandry.
6. Emerson College (+$20,522)
Emerson is a small-sized private college with its primary campus in Boston.
Popular majors at this educational institution include cinematography and video production, creative writing and marketing.
The college told Newsweek it is "committed to supporting our students who are in greatest financial need, managing tuition costs, and enhancing our fundraising efforts to increase the overall amount of financial aid available."
"While Emerson's net price did go up from 2009-10 to 2019-20, the College has worked hard to lower the rate of tuition increase over the past two years, bringing it down to a 2 percent increase for continuing students and offering more financial aid to more students."
5. Erskine College (+$20,674)
Founded in 1839, Erskine is a private liberal arts college and graduate theological seminary in Due West, South Carolina.
Popular majors at this college include business, biology and psychology.
4. Tulane University (+$21,260)
Tulane is a private research university in New Orleans founded as a public medical college in 1834.
Popular majors at this highly rated college include finance, business and marketing.
3. Beacon College (+22,243)
Founded in 1989, Beacon is a small-sized private college based in Leesburg, Florida.
Popular majors at this university include human services, business, and web page and digital design.
2. Syracuse University (+$22,871)
Syracuse University is a large, private research college based in New York and founded in 1831.
Popular majors at this highly rated institution include Information science, psychology and economics.
1. Pepperdine University (+$24,021)
Pepperdine is a private research college primarily based close to Malibu, California.
Popular majors at the school, where tuition costs have more than doubled in the last decade (by 107%), include business, public relations and psychology.
Update 08/17/21, 5:24 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Emerson College and Southern New Hampshire University.
Correction 10/13/21, 4:45 a.m. ET: This article was updated to distinguish between Vanguard University's tuition fee increase and its average net price increase.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
