Tuition-free college programs, often referred to as promise programs, have proliferated across the country. While previous literature on promise programs has shown positive results for the students who receive these scholarships, it has failed to account for program design and administrative features of the program (such as income caps, age, time…

Since the 1970s, master's degrees represent the fastest growing degree in the United States (US). Accordingly, there is a need for greater understanding of the factors that have contributed to this sustained, upward trend. Guided by resource dependence theory, we conducted hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses to examine whether more…

This report focuses on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on state tuition, fee, and financial aid policies for public institutions of higher education. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted several areas of state policy--most significantly through increased funding to state budgets. For higher education, states received federal funding that they…

In 2016 Chile initiated a policy of free tuition for students from families in the lower half of the income distribution to improve access to and completion of higher education. The empirical effectiveness of the policy has not yet been completely demonstrated. This study analysed the difference in levels of academic performance of students…

Background: Schools in impoverished communities on the Cape Flats experience challenges related to high levels of poverty, crime and gang violence that can adversely affect learners' psycho-social and academic development. After-school programmes (ASPs) represent one form of intervention to address these issues. Aim: This study explored the…

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) annual survey of tuition and fees collects data on resident and nonresident tuition and fees at public two- and four-year institutions in the WICHE region for undergraduate and graduate students. WICHE administered the most recent survey to state higher education executive offices,…

This publication shares data from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) about its three Student Access Programs, as well as participation and migration statistics for each program, shared in aggregate and by each WICHE-region state and eligible Pacific Island jurisdiction. The report also includes data summaries that…

The Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP) presented in this policy brief is a bipartisan approach to school funding based on how much districts must spend to educate every child, including those who need different or additional support. The FSFP works because it is based on the actual cost of educating kids, sharing that cost between the state and local…

This report is the testimony and views of Preston Cooper, a senior fellow focusing on the economics of higher education at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), to the US House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust about the pricing and spending practices of Ivy League…

This case study uses the theory of academic capitalism (TAC) to explore how a public university known primarily for undergraduate education is incorporating market-oriented practices and structures, and how those changes could impact its curriculum and enrollment profile. Through initiatives to establish an engineering college, expand graduate…

Impacts to postsecondary institutions' enrollment and financial positions that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic were examined in this study. Taking a quantitative observational approach, enrollment trends as they relate to changes in tuition and fee revenue, unrestricted cash on hand, and unrestricted investments held are analyzed to determine…

This research study examined the experiences of nontraditional community college students attending through a tuition-free grant. The intent of the study was to explore the student identified barriers to degree persistence and the student support services nontraditional students recognize as being beneficial towards their academic journey. This…

Under Utah House Bill 144, some unauthorized immigrant (UI) students who attend a Utah high school are exempt from paying the non-resident cost of tuition at Utah higher education institutions. This analysis examines awards earned by undergraduates who were eligible for the HB144 waiver: UI students who attended high school in Utah. Completion…

This report provides comprehensive data about the tuition and fee prices published by public higher education institutions in the West for academic year (AY) 2024-25, including changes in tuition and fee rates over the past one-, five-, and 10-year periods. For the first time, the report includes tuition and fees from each of the U.S. Pacific…

This brief provides findings from the full report, "California's Higher Education Funding Landscape," which examines California's higher education funding sources, revenue trends over the past decade, and compares its funding model with other large states to inform future policies. Key findings include: (1) appropriations for higher…