Good post, no doubt higher ed inflation is a serious national issue. However, I would question whether all private schools is the proper peer group for comparison.
When looking at what I perceive to be Furman's direct competition and/or peers, i.e. Southern SLACs, the tuition spreads aren't that dramatic:
W&L - $68,045
Davidson - $64,160
Furman - $61,034
Rhodes - $58,272
Sewanee - $57,916
Wofford - $56,005
Centre - $54,890
This isn't taking into account the average net price, as all of these schools discount to some extent.
Schools are advised to set high tuition prices, creating the perception and appearance of value and to then make prospects feel special by offering them a significant discount in the form of an "academic scholarship"...that playbook is working for some schools better than others.
Good post, no doubt higher ed inflation is a serious national issue. However, I would question whether all private schools is the proper peer group for comparison.
When looking at what I perceive to be Furman's direct competition and/or peers, i.e. Southern SLACs, the tuition spreads aren't that dramatic:
W&L - $68,045
Davidson - $64,160
Furman - $61,034
Rhodes - $58,272
Sewanee - $57,916
Wofford - $56,005
Centre - $54,890
This isn't taking into account the average net price, as all of these schools discount to some extent.
Consultants have been telling schools to raise their tuition, see https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/business/college-tuition-price-consultants.html
Schools are advised to set high tuition prices, creating the perception and appearance of value and to then make prospects feel special by offering them a significant discount in the form of an "academic scholarship"...that playbook is working for some schools better than others.