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Following three consecutive years of increase, appropriations per student declined by 5.7% in 2008-09 in inflation-adjusted dollars. The $7,953 state tax appropriations per student in 2008-09 were 12% ($1,100) lower in constant dollars than a decade earlier. This decline followed a 5% decline from 1988-89 to 1998-99. |
Note: The fall 2008 FTE enrollment was projected using the average enrollment growth rate from the previous four years.
Sources: The College Board, Annual Survey of Colleges; Illinois State University, Grapevine reports; NCES, Digest of Education
Statistics 2008, Table 219.
Download Excel for this figure. Download Excel for all figures and tables. This figure was prepared in October 2009. - Changes in public appropriations for higher education institutions are cyclical, with declines
corresponding to a weak economy and growth occurring during periods of economic strength. Increases in tuition and fees at public institutions tend to be smaller when growth in appropriations is more rapid.More
- Total state appropriations for public colleges and universities declined from $82.2 billion (in 2008 dollars) in 2007-08 to $78.5 billion in 2008-09.
- State appropriations per $1,000 in personal income have declined steadily from a national average of $9.74 in 1989-90 to $7.36 in 1999-2000 and $6.50 in 2008-09.
- In 2008-09, state tax appropriations for higher education per $1,000 in personal income ranged from
highs of $14.07 in New Mexico and $12.26 in North Carolina, to lows of $2.46 in New Hampshire and $3.14 in Massachusetts (not shown on graph).More
Also Important
- One-year changes in total state appropriations in 2008-09 ranged from a 22% decline in South Carolina and a 15% decline in Alabama, to 5% increases in Hawaii and Wyoming (Grapevine).
Total state appropriations failed to keep pace with infl ation in 38 states, even before taking enrollment increases into account.More
- The percentage of current fund revenues of public degree-granting institutions that came from state and local appropriations declined from
47% in 1980-81 to 41% in 1990-91, and 35% in 2000-01. (Digest of Education Statistics 2008, Table 349)More
- In 2005-06, appropriations accounted for 27% of total revenues of public higher education institutions. Appropriations
accounted for 2% of revenues in Colorado and 10% in Vermont, compared to 48% in Wyoming and 40% in Arizona. (Digest of Education Statistics 2008, Table 351)More
