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In 1980, approximately one quarter of the university's operating budget was covered by state appropriations. Now the state's share is just over 14 percent. New Hampshire ranks dead last among the 50 states in per-capita support for higher education, and it would take a 45 percent increase just to move up to number 49.

"At one time it was appropriate to talk about UNH as a 'state supported' university. Later, as state aid slipped, the more accurate term was 'state assisted' university. Now, we all need to work to ensure that the University of New Hampshire doesn't become simply a 'state located' university," says UNH President Mark Huddleston.

As college costs rise, there is danger that students from families with lower incomes will be priced out. In fact, the 2008 National Report Card on Higher Education, issued by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, suggests that is already happening. "In all but two states, the percentage of family income, after financial aid, needed to pay for a public four-year college has increased since 2000," the report card states. "On average, students from working and poor families must pay 40 percent of family income to enroll in public four-year colleges. Students from middle-income families and upper-income families must pay 25 percent and 13 percent of family income, respectively, to enroll in public four-year colleges."

No wonder UNH President Mark Huddleston believes, "In the long run, our biggest challenge is access and affordability."

Expensive, but Still a Bargain

UNH is among the most expensive state universities—a fact mentioned in virtually every news report of a new tuition hike—but exactly what does this mean in dollars and cents?

Last year, New Hampshire students at UNH paid $11,756 for tuition and mandatory fees. Out-of-state students paid $25,236. The average cost of in-state tuition and fees at public research universities across the country was $7,307, and the average charge for out-of-state students was $18,174, according to the College Board. Pennsylvania State University was the most expensive public university for in-state students ($13,706), while the University of Wyoming was the least expensive ($3,621).

Tuition and fees are only part of a typical college bill. You have to add in the cost of room and board to get the total "direct cost of attendance." Room and board fees are generally calculated to cover the actual cost of providing those services, and they are fairly consistent from one institution to another. At UNH, typical room and board charges for the last academic year were $8,596, so the direct cost of attendance was $20,352 in-state and $33,832 out-of-state. Those figures put UNH in fourth place on the list of the most expensive state universities for in-state students, behind Penn State ($21,976); Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey ($21,772); and the University of Vermont ($21,378).

Private four-year institutions have a much wider range of prices than public universities do. Tuition and fees range from around $6,000 at the low end to more than $40,000 at the high end; the average last year was $25,143, according to the College Board. Add in room and board, and some of the most expensive private colleges cost more than $50,000 per year.

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