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In comparison to other higher ed institutions, you're right.

This one in particular (I grew up in the region) has still seen its in-state tuition grow by 300%+ in the past 20 years. Where's the money going?




Right, I just looked it up and the largest community college in my city now charges about the same as I paid to go to the nearby state university 10 years ago. It's clearly not going to the instructors. It must be a combination of new construction and administrative bloat.


Or less state funding: https://www.highereddive.com/news/state-funding-for-communit...

> States are giving four-year colleges $63 million less in fiscal 2021 than they did last year, a 0.1% decline. Meanwhile, they’re cutting funding to two-year institutions by $457 million, a 2% decline.

> Enrollment losses and pandemic-related expenses are buffeting community colleges’ budgets as these schools face cuts in state support.


State funding doesn’t matter as much for many CCs because they have local taxing authority, just like K-12 education.

This is another reason why they are often significantly cheaper than a 4-yr school in the same state.


It depends on the state. I know of at least one state community college system.


Was the tuition subsidized to a greater degree prior to the price increase?


Yes. Which goes back to 'if my community doesn't value teaching, why should I do it?' In that case, I'll use my background and skills to help those in my immediate circle and their children - people who do value it. Or make use of other skills I have that are more valued even if I like doing them less (I would prefer to teach over code but shrug).

If society heavily implies "teaching is stupid and has no value" then of course fewer people are going to be teachers. How many SWEs would keep doing the job if it paid 20k a year, required reporting to multiple people, asked for a Master's+, and involved verbal abuse? I'm guessing most people who like to code still wouldn't take that job; they'd do something else and code in their free time.




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