College costs have risen sharply, pushing more families to use savings, loans and shorter routes such as dual enrolment to reduce debt. The trend is raising doubts about whether a degree still delivers enough value for the price.
01Summary
- 01Stephanie Thomas, 49, a certified financial planner in Raleigh, North Carolina, paid off about $20,000 in student loans after college on an income-based repayment plan.
- 02Her youngest daughter, Ainsley, 16, is taking dual-enrolment classes and is expected to finish high school with a two-year associate's degree and junior standing at a four-year college.
- 03The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center said spring 2026 dual enrolment rose 9.6% from a year earlier.
- 04College Board data show average tuition and fees rose 74% at private four-year institutions and 101% at four-year public colleges between 1995 and 2025, after inflation.
- 05Education Department data show about 9.3 million federal student loan borrowers were in default as of 30 June, up from around 6.2 million in 2016.
02Why it matters
The story shows how higher education costs are changing family finances and forcing students to look for cheaper routes to a degree. That affects future borrowing, spending plans and the wider labour market if more people delay or avoid four-year courses.
Pulse AIAsk about this story
Answers are generated by AI from the story summary; they are not investment, health or legal advice.
