Increase in costs at public colleges has slowed

Tuition and fees at public universities increased less than 3 percent this academic year, the smallest rise in three decades, according to an annual report from the College Board. The New York Times says that increases in grant aid also have slowed, so the amount students and families actually pay has risen. The average published annual tuition and fees for in-state students at public universities total $8,893, up 2.9 percent from last year. But when grants and deductions of tax credits are taken into account, the net amount students pay is about $3,120.