Janice Lozano
The 1960s marked a shift in the affordability of college education in the United States. Up until the 1960s, state universities were tuition-free, although students were still required to pay fees for room and board. This changed due to a combination of social and legislative factors, including the increased demand for higher education following World War II, the GI Bill, and economic growth. By the 1970s, tuition fees were no longer free anywhere in the US, and the student loan crisis had begun. This shift disproportionately affected low-income and minority students, who were steered towards two-year community colleges and for-profit institutions with lower returns on investment. The rising cost of college has led to a student loan crisis, with about 44 million Americans paying off $1.7 trillion in student debt.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| College affordability in the 60s | State universities were tuition-free until the 1960s. |
| Reasons for the end of tuition-free colleges | The GI Bill increased the number of Americans wanting to go to college, and colleges couldn't expand quickly enough to accommodate the demand. |
| Student loans | Student loans have existed since at least the 60s. |
| Student loan crisis | The student loan crisis started in the 60s. |
| Cost of college | Tuition costs have soared by 3,819% from 1964 to 2019. |
| Cost of room and board | Colleges have increased amenities, technology, and specialized dining options, contributing to higher costs in terms of maintenance. |
| Cost of private schools | Private schools tend to be smaller, so they charge more tuition and fees. |
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What You'll Learn
Student loans and debt
The shift towards paid tuition began after World War II, as the GI Bill increased the number of Americans aspiring to attend college. This trend continued into the 1960s, with the rise of Civil Rights and student protests, and a growing demand for education that outpaced supply and funding. As a result, state universities started charging tuition fees, becoming for-profit businesses, and students had to take out loans to finance their education.
The end of tuition-free education disproportionately impacted low-income and minority students, who were already facing systemic barriers to accessing higher education. The shift from a predominantly tuition-free system to one that relies heavily on student loans has contributed to widening class divisions and exacerbated existing inequalities. The burden of student debt has been particularly harsh on communities of color, with Black and Brown households often receiving financial assistance on exploitative terms that limit their long-term benefits.
The rising cost of college tuition is due to several factors. One factor is the increasing cost of building and maintaining colleges and universities, which includes the cost of infrastructure, administration, and student services. Another factor is the rise in the number of students attending college, which has not been adequately met with increased funding or support. Additionally, colleges have added more amenities, technology, and specialized services to attract students, contributing to higher maintenance costs.
The issue of student debt has sparked protests and calls for free college education, with organizations like the Debt Collective advocating for broad debt cancellation and policies to end mass indebtedness, including free public higher education.
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Tuition-free state universities
In the 1960s, legislative and social changes brought an end to tuition-free state universities in the US. Before this time, since Lincoln's land grants in the 1860s, state universities offered free tuition. However, as demand for college education increased after World War II, universities faced challenges in accommodating a growing number of students. This marked the beginning of for-profit universities and the student loan crisis.
The GI Bill, which gave veterans money to attend university, and the economic boom following World War II, led to a dramatic increase in the number of people who could afford to go to college. As a result, colleges became overcrowded, and costs began to rise.
By the 1960s, the Civil Rights movement and student protests added to the demand for education, which further outpaced supply and funding. This led to the end of free-tuition state universities.
For example, Pennsylvania State University was tuition-free in the 1800s and did not see steep rising costs until the late 1980s. The University of California was also free until the 1970s. The City University of New York had a similar story, with many four-year colleges and community colleges offering tuition-free education until the late 1960s.
Today, free college education is no longer the norm in America. As demand for higher education continues to grow, so do the costs. The average tuition and fees for 4-year institutions in the 2019-2020 academic year were $9,400 for public schools, $36,700 for private non-profit schools, and $19,100 for private for-profit schools.
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Higher education and social class
Higher education has long been a pathway to a better life, with college graduates outearning those with only a high school diploma. However, the road to higher education has not been equal for all social classes. While college was never "free" in the United States, state schools were tuition-free until the 1960s. This changed due to several social and legislative factors, leading to the end of tuition-free state universities and the start of universities as for-profit businesses.
Historical Context
In the nineteenth century, American colleges and universities often struggled financially, relying on a mix of donations, student tuition, fees, business partnerships, and sometimes state support. The high costs of building and maintaining these institutions made them largely inaccessible to ordinary Americans. For example, in the 1920s, annual tuition at Stanford University was $225, which was considered expensive at the time.
World War II and the GI Bill
After World War II, the GI Bill increased the number of Americans who could afford college. However, this also contributed to the end of tuition-free state universities. The influx of college-eligible Americans and their demand for education outpaced supply and funding. Additionally, the GI Bill reinforced financial, class, and racial inequities, as it excluded certain groups such as women and soldiers discharged for homosexuality.
The 1960s and the End of Tuition-Free Education
By the 1960s, social and legislative changes ended the era of tuition-free state universities. During this time, there were increasing student protests and a growing population of college-goers. Some began to feel that these "radical" students had too much free time and that taxpayers shouldn't fund their education. As a result, state universities started charging tuition, and the student loan crisis began under the Johnson and Nixon administrations.
Impact on Social Class
The end of tuition-free education disproportionately affected lower-income students. Community colleges, which are more affordable, became popular in the 1960s and 1970s, but their quality has suffered due to cutbacks in government funding. Poor students are also more likely to choose lower-value institutions and majors with lower rates of return. As a result, higher education has become regressive, delivering greater returns to wealthy students than their low-income peers.
Tuition Costs and Student Debt
Since the 1960s, tuition costs have soared, and student debt has become a significant issue. The average student debt for graduates in 2018 was $30,000, and about 44 million Americans are now paying off student loans. This mass indebtedness has deepened pre-existing racial and gender inequalities, as low-income students bear the burden of debt and face higher dropout rates.
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Student protests
While college education in the US was not entirely free in the 1960s, state schools were tuition-free. However, as the demand for college education increased, some people began to feel that taxpayers shouldn't have to fund students' education. This sentiment, along with other social and legislative changes, eventually led to the end of tuition-free state universities.
Students used a variety of tactics to achieve their goals, including sit-ins, mass protests, strikes, speeches, and, occasionally, violence. One notable example of a sit-in protest occurred at Notre Dame University in November 1968, when 300 students occupied the administration building to protest recruiters from Dow Chemical and the CIA.
The student movement of the 1960s reflected the broader cultural conflicts of the time, particularly around issues like civil rights, the Vietnam War, and the counterculture movement. Students questioned established values and adult authority, and sought to find new meaning and ways of living.
The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968 and the killing of four students at Kent State University in May 1970 further fuelled student activism and protests, with students demonstrating against police brutality and the Vietnam War.
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Funding and government support
In the 1960s, the federal government in the US passed legislation to send more money to the states to fund higher education. However, college education was not entirely free, even in state schools. While tuition fees were covered, students were still required to pay for room and board.
The GI Bill, passed in 1944, and the economic boom following World War II, increased the number of Americans who could afford college. This, along with the growing population and demand for college education, put pressure on colleges to expand their infrastructure and services, leading to increased costs.
By the 1960s, the demand for education outpaced supply and funding, and colleges began to operate as for-profit businesses. This marked the end of tuition-free state universities and the beginning of the student loan crisis. The shift from viewing colleges as public goods to profit-seeking entities contributed to the tuition fee hike.
The transition to a for-profit model disproportionately impacted low-income and minority students. They were funnelled into two-year community colleges or for-profit institutions, which offered less valuable degrees and lower wage premiums upon graduation. The community colleges, which charged lower fees, experienced a decline in quality due to cutbacks in government funding, leading to higher student-to-faculty ratios and lower graduation rates.
The rising costs of college education led to the establishment of Nixon's Student Loan Marketing Association, also known as Sallie Mae, in 1973. This marked the beginning of the student loan crisis, with tuition fees continuing to rise exponentially.
While grants, scholarships, and student loans help offset the cost of college, they have also contributed to the growing student debt crisis in the US, with about 44 million Americans paying off $1.7 trillion in student debt.
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Frequently asked questions
No, college education was never free in the United States. However, until the late 1960s, state universities were tuition-free.
Several social and legislative changes in the 1960s led to the end of tuition-free state universities. The number of Americans wanting to go to college increased after WWII, and the demand for education outpaced supply and funding.
Yes, students did struggle to pay for college in the 1960s. The costs of college began to rise as more people were able to attend school.
Students paid for college through a mix of grants, scholarships, student loans, donations, and work-study programs.
Yes, students took out loans to pay for college in the 1960s. However, the student loan crisis began in the 1960s with the end of tuition-free state universities and the start of universities as for-profit businesses.
