The Case For Free College

It is no secret by now that higher education has become less and less affordable for the average American family. In fact, according to a survey done by Strada in November of 2024, 77 percent of adults thought college was unaffordable, while another 18 percent deemed it to be only somewhat affordable. Our education system is deeply flawed in a way that prices out hundreds of thousands of students with lower family incomes. Many critics will argue against lowering the price of universities by stating that it's “unrealistic” or “far too expensive” but the real question we should be asking is: What is the cost of not making college affordable? Not only do the whopping prices of universities directly hurt individuals and families who are trying to achieve the American dream, they also undermine our economy by limiting the supply of college-educated talent and deepening the wealth gap and overall inequality.

Before we get into how staggering college prices actually hurt the economy and American society, we need to understand just how great the problem has truly become. In order to do that we need to take a look at how university prices have shifted along with the money families actually have to pay for it. First let’s show how family incomes have not kept pace with college prices. In 2000 the median household income was $42,148, in 2024 that number was $83,730, which equates to around a 98.66% increase in 24 years. That may seem like a pretty reasonable increase but it's quite minimal compared to the astronomical rise in college tuition. Using the same time frame looking at statistics from the Education Data Initiative, which collects data on U.S. public education, the average cost of tuition and fees in 2000 for public and private schools was $3,501 and $15,470 respectively, by 2024 those amounts rose to $9,961 and $36,580, reflecting 184.52% and 136.46% increases. The worst part about costs like these are that they of course disproportionately affect poorer and less fortunate Americans, pricing them out of higher education and effectively keeping them down and continuing the poverty cycle by limiting their access to quality education.

So how do these outrageous costs not only hurt individuals but also the American economy itself? It leads to a weak housing market, a smaller and less skilled labor pool, and lowers consumer spending because student debt payoffs. Right now in our country only about 38 percent of people aged 18 to 35 own a home, that’s a crisis, and if you think college debt isn’t playing a key part in that, think again. The Education Data Initiative reports that 51% of all student loan holders say their debt delayed them from purchasing a home, while also highlighting that for each thousand dollars of student debt a recent graduate student holds, they are 1.8% less likely to own a home. Multiply that by the thousands and thousands of dollars of debt graduates find themselves in and you have a pretty huge issue.

Not only does student debt destroy the housing market, it also plays a large part in suppressing consumer spending, which of course is the only way the economy functions. When graduates have tens of thousands of dollars in debt to pay off they are far less likely to spend money on other things because they are hyper focused on paying off debt while still covering basic necessities. CNBC states that 42% of student loan borrowers say that their monthly debt payments make it harder for them to cover rent, bills, and food. Now think about that momentarily, if graduates can hardly afford what they absolutely need to survive, how likely are they to travel on vacation, go to a finer restaurant, spend money on clothing, or even expend money for a hobby that they take part in. Is this a version of America we want to live in? One where what makes us happy becomes unattainable for so many young people, one where every dollar made by young graduates is allocated into paying off debts, retirement accounts, and basic necessities like food and housing? My answer is NO, and that’s why free college is the bold solution that our country needs.

Alright, we know how great of an issue college tuition is, as well as how it affects not just people, but our economy as a whole, but how do we solve it. How can we achieve free college-level education for all?

First we have to understand that free higher level education is absolutely possible, with currently 22 countries operating on a completely free tuition model according to Accredited Schools Online, with many more countries offering very low tuition in comparison to the United States.

There are three different ways the United States can go about making tuition free: Last-Dollar Tuition Free Model (28 Billion dollars per year) In this model the government would pay whatever tuition is left after grant aid is already applied, but the student must figure out how to pay for room and board on their own. First-Dollar Tuition Free Model (50 Billion dollars per year) In this model the government would completely pay for tuition, while any grant money the student is awarded would go directly to helping them pay for room and board. Creating free tuition, and discounted housing and other costs of living. This system would likely be implemented before transitioning to the one below. Absolute Debt-Free Model (75 Billion dollars per year) Operates exactly as it sounds, federal and state governments pay for the entirety of college tuition, along with room and board to make sure no public school student graduates with debt. This would eliminate grants as there would be nothing to pay for.

Finally, how would the United States come up with enough money to execute any of these plans?

Here are a couple ideas:

Ultra Millionaire Tax Act of 2026 (Introduced by Pramila Jayapal):

Households and trusts with an income between 50 million and 1 billion dollars would pay a 2% tax on all income between the two numbers, with an extra 1% being added to every dollar over a billion. The bill would not affect 99.85% of American families Estimated revenue of around 6.2 TRILLION dollars over a decade. (bottom source)

Slash The Pentagon Act (Introduced by Ed Markey): This bill would cut national defense spending from 954 billion this past year down to a cap of 750 billion annually. This would allow more money to be allocated to the education system and toward free tuition. While it is worth noting that the bill is mainly intended to contribute to Medicare and SNAP funds that were recently cut, legislation like this can absolutely contribute to achieving free public education for all. Estimated budget gain of around 200 billion a year.

The bottom line here is that free college for all is absolutely a choice, not a sacrifice. The benefits can not be denied, a stronger economy, far more consumer spending, a skilled workforce, and a fairer society where opportunity to advance is for everyone, not just the wealthy. Achieving this goal is not about asking the average American to pay more, but demanding accountability from those who can afford to pay more. As well as corporations who profit from a more skilled workforce, but then proceed to dodge taxes, they too must pay their fair share. Making college free for all has nothing to do with ideology, it’s about putting the true interests of America first. Because free high-level education helps us all, and the resources are undoubtedly there to make it happen. We must ask ourselves if we are willing to demand a system that works for all Americans, not just the wealthy. Free college is not a radical idea, it benefits the entire country even for those already at the top. It is the intelligent, just and necessary solution to rebuild an economy that doesn’t crush graduates in debt, an economy that creates breathing room for everyone in America. The time to act is now, before we allow another generation to be crushed by student debt.

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