Tuesday, July 21, 2015

MassBudget : Debt-Free Public Higher Education: What Would It Take?



  MASSBudget     


Debt-Free Public Higher Education:
What Would It Take?

Expanding access to affordable higher education would directly help tens of thousands of students in Massachusetts and their families. In addition to giving more of our young people the opportunity to go to college, over the long term expanding access to quality, affordable, higher education would increase the productivity of our workforce and the strength of our state economy.

Debt-Free Public Higher Education: What Would It Take? examines options for making public higher education more affordable in Massachusetts, including making it possible for young people to graduate from college debt free. The paper examines three options:

  • Eliminating tuition and fees for in-state students at Community Colleges and State Universities. Cost: roughly $325 million/year.

  • Providing grants to cover Community College costs (tuition, fees, books, and transportation), but which could also be used to defray the costs of attending State Universities and UMass campuses. Cost: roughly $524 million/year.
  • Eliminating tuition and fees for in-state students at all campus types. Cost: roughly $631 million/year.

While eliminating or significantly reducing tuition and fees would have upfront costs, these should be considered alongside the many immediate and long-term benefits: more of our young people having access to all of the benefits of higher education; our economy benefiting from a better educated workforce, and students and families being relived of the burden of excessive debt.   

Please click HERE for the full paper. 


The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts.

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BOSTON, MA 02108
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