Nearly 20 million young people stepped onto a college campus as a student for the first time this year.

They’ll need more than highlighters and a class schedule to make it to another year.

Average tuition of public and private colleges and universities

1980-81
$3,101

1990-91
$6,562

2000-01
$10,820

2001-02
$11,380

2002-03
$12,014

2003-04
$12,953

2004-05
$13,793

2005-06
$14,634

2006-07
$15,483

2007-08
$16,231

2008-09
$17,092

2009-10
$17,649

2010-11
$18,497

* Figures in current dollars

Educational attainment

Doctorate degree 1.1%

Professional degree 1.4%

Master’s degree 6.7%

Bachelor’s degree 17.1%

Associate degree 8.2%

Vocational certificate 10.9%

Some college 15.6%

High school completion 25.6%

Less than high school 13.4%

Education and earnings

Professional degree
$11,900/month

Master’s degree
$6,700/month

Bachelor’s degree
$5,400/month

Associate degree
$4,200/month

No college degree
$3,600/month

High school diploma
$3,200/month

No diploma
$2,450/month

Top 10 colleges and universities by enrollment

1 University of Phoenix Online (Headquarters in Phoenix) 307,965
2 Liberty University Lynchburg, Virginia 100,000
3 Kaplan University Multiple campuses (Headquarters in Davenport, Iowa) 77,966
4 Arizona State University Phoenix metro area 70,440
5 Ashford University Multiple campuses (Headquarters in Clinton, Iowa) 63,096
6 Miami Dade College Miami, Florida 61,674
7 Houston Community College Houston 60,303
8 University of Central Florida Orlando 60,048
9 Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 56,054
10 Lone Star college system The Woodlands, Texas 54,412

Top 10 most expensive colleges and universities

Connecticut College CT $43,990
Sarah Lawrence College NY $43,564
Columbia University NY $43,304
Vassar College NY $43,190
George Washington University DC $42,905
Trinity College CT $42,420
Bucknell University PA $42,342
St John’s College MD $42,192
St John’s College NM $42,192
Carnegie Mellon University PA $42,136