Talent & Education

Hemlines rise and fall, but tuition just goes up.

The state bears blame for the high cost of higher education, but students aren’t blameless, either.

The median U.S. household income in 2014 was $52,781, with families spending 35.9% of their income on public university ($18,943 sticker price, annually) or 80% on private university ($42,419 sticker price, annually). Also in 2014… Pick a year: 197519801985199019952000200520102014 Why college costs so much Chapter 1: College costs have doubled, and other frightening facts Chapter […]

NEXT: Click here to go to 2014 → Adjusted to 2014 dollars: The median U.S. household income in 2010 was $53,497, with families spending 31.5% of their income on public university ($16,855 sticker price, annually) or 72.5% on private university ($38,799 sticker price, annually). Also in 2010… A 7.0-magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti, with a death […]

NEXT: Click here to go to 2010 → Adjusted to 2014 dollars: The median U.S. household income in 2005 was $56,154, with families spending 25.5% of their income on public university ($14,310 sticker price, annually) or 61.5% on private university ($34,549 sticker price, annually). Also in 2005… The first free Parliamentary elections in Iraq since […]

NEXT: Click here to go to 2005 → Adjusted to 2014 dollars: The median U.S. household income in 2000 was $57,726, with families spending 20% of their income on public university ($11,548 sticker price, annually) or 53.1% on private university ($30,692 sticker price, annually). Also in 2000… Pick a year: 197519801985199019952000200520102014 America Online purchases Time […]

NEXT: Click here to go to 2000 → Adjusted to 2014 dollars: The median U.S. household income in 1995 was $52,933, with families spending 20.1% of their income on public university ($10,628 sticker price, annually) or 50% on private university ($26,487 sticker price, annually). Also in 1995… Mississippi ratifies the 13th Amendment, becoming the last […]

NEXT: Click here to go to 1995 → Adjusted to 2014 dollars: The median U.S. household income in 1990 was $54,235, with families spending 16.6% of their income on public university ($9,030 sticker price, annually) or 44.3% on private university ($24,049 sticker price, annually). Also in 1990… General Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces in […]

NEXT: Click here to go to 1990 → Adjusted to 2014 dollars: The median U.S. household income in 1985 was $51,963, with families spending 16.1% of their income on public university ($8,427 sticker price, annually) or 37.2% on private university ($19,342 sticker price, annually). Also in 1985… WrestleMania debuts at Madison Square Garden Coca-Cola changes […]

NEXT: Click here to go to 1985 → Adjusted to 2014 dollars: The median U.S. household income in 1980 was $50,881, with families spending 14.9% of their income on public university ($7587 sticker price, annually) or 32.1% on private university ($16,339 sticker price, annually). Also in 1980… The United States Olympic Hockey Team defeats the […]