Despite the increases in tuition at public colleges and universities, some states have invested little in student financial aid. Only 14 states have increased their spending in student grant aid by more than 10 percent, while 17 states have decreased their total investment. South Carolina had the largest increase in investment in student financial aid (94 percent), while Massachusetts had the largest decrease (24 percent).
States that increased tuition were not necessarily the same states that offset those increases with additional investment in student financial aid. For example, public four-year college tuition increased in Massachusetts by 24 percent, while the state decreased student financial aid by 24 percent. In Illinois, public four-year college tuition increased by 9 percent, while the state cut student financial aid by 10 percent. Furthermore, in the past year, state support for higher education has declined in 14 states.
"The cumulative effect is a major assault on college affordability," Callan says. "This comes at a time when unemployment is high, personal income is basically flat, and college-level education and training is a requirement for most well-paying jobs."
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