Why isn't more down to cap college tuition increases?

Question

The average college tuition for a 4 year, public college increased 10%. http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2004/11/11-04-04tdc/11-04-04dnews-16.asp
The average starting salary for a graduation of a 4 year, public college is 2%. http://accounting.smartpros.com/x44487.xml
While inflation is around 3%. http://www.inflationdata.com/Inflation/Inflation_Rate/CurrentInflation.asp

Why can't politicians do more to help the student? Do they not talk about increasing education. The Student coming out of college is losing to inflation and tuition increases not to mention loans. The student starts off the real world in debt but also with his starting salary increases losing out to inflation and tuition increases alone. Students are bound to have a long time in debt. Is there a way to end this problem?

Answer 1

Since it is the government that is increasing the tuition at public universities, who do you expect to cap the tuition. The problem is that states are running out of money paying for increasing medical cost and prisons. I know the state of California spends more on prisons than on education, and it is hurting most state budgets. Politicians more or less represent what the people want, and low taxes, health care, and locking up criminals are considered more important than low tuition by most people because they are not students.

Answer 2

Some schools now-a-days are capping tuition kind of. At the university I went to an incoming freshman will have the same tuition all 4 years, but that's not to say a freshman coming in next year won't be any better off if tuition increases.

I look at it like this: Student loans have low interest rates and can be paid off over longer periods of time, so it may not be preferable to exit school in debt, it's better than not having an education.

Answer 3

As long as there are people like me who want an education and can't afford one, there will be students in debt. I'm well over a 100 grand in the hole. The problem I see is people majoring in subjects that already have flooded job markets (psychology, sociology, English, education....etc) and then having to do some job completely unrelated to what they spent 4 years in. Major in something practical. Not that we don't need teachers or psychologists but they are a dime a dozen these days. Maybe a practical major isn't the most awesome major ever, but having a good paying job is great. You have to find the balance. I wanted to be an artist. What good it that? So I became a geologist. Its not my first love but it is interesting. And when I'm done with my master's, companies will fight over me.