(President Obama delivers the commencement address at Arizona State University in 2009. ASU is the largest public university in the country.)

According to data compiled by the United States Government Accountability Office, “median tuition rose 55 percent across all public colleges,” while state funding fell 12 percent. During this time period, public colleges also saw an enrollment increase of over 2 million.

The shifts in funding mean that tuition and fees have exceeded government grants and other assistance.

Regardless of how tuition is set, it is clear that specific tuition levels directly affect students. For example, two studies found that policies allowing rising tuition negatively affected affordability for students at public colleges in California, even when considering contributions from financial aid. In addition, some studies found that tuition levels can also affect student behavior and decision-making. For example, results from a survey of students at about 15 large public colleges found that an estimated 73 percent of students reported buying fewer or cheaper textbooks, and 46 percent reported skipping meals in response to
increased college costs.

Students are also coping with increased tuition and fees by taking a smaller credit load each semester, meaning ti may take even longer for the average public college student to graduate. Contrary to popular belief, the average American student who graduates college, takes about 6 years to obtain their degree.