The chart I shared last week illustrating just how much the nation’s declining income levels have contributed to the rising cost of college for the average family prompted plenty of comments about the value of a college degree. As I expected, I also heard from several higher education experts who asked why I used the “sticker price” of college in the chart to represent tuition levels. A college’s sticker price is like the sticker on the window of a new car: It’s the advertised price, but most people pay a lower, discounted figure. Just how much lower depends on a variety of factors. Sitting in a college classroom is similar to sitting on a plane — you have no idea how much the person next to you paid for their seat.

March 14, 2016 ・ From The Washington Post