As it is, New Englanders pay just $179 per capita toward higher education, compared with $230 ...]]> While some economists see the national economy poised to come back, state budgets and economies aren’t yet in the clear, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) and National Governors Association (NGA) 2013 Fiscal Survey of States.

As it is, New Englanders pay just $179 per capita toward higher education, compared with $230 per capita nationally.

The NASBO and NGA survey projects some tough state budget decisions in FY 2014 and beyond. Continued high unemployment and slow expected revenue growth—combined with spending pressures in healthcare, education, and other areas put on hold during the recession—mean that there’s a lot of catching up to do.

How will this impact students and families?  It’s hard to tell if the affordability crisis in higher education will be solved anytime soon.  Certainly, tuition and fees in the near future may continue to rise at a rate that outpaces growth in student aid programs, meaning that over time, students and families pay more even when financial aid is taken into account.

For a snapshot of New England postsecondary tuition and fees, financial aid, and state appropriation levels, check out the recently updated Trends & Indicators Finance Figures.

The New England region has the highest average tuition and fee rates for 2011-12 across institutional sectors, according to the College Board's most ...]]> The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, in its recently released fourth quarter 2011 New England Community Survey, cited an emerging concern facing low- and moderate-income communities: the escalating cost of higher education.

The New England region has the highest average tuition and fee rates for 2011-12 across institutional sectors, according to the College Board's most recent report on Trends in College Pricing. Meanwhile, NEBHE's 2011 Tuition and Fee report shows the average share of family income required to pay published tuition and fees at New England public institutions has increased across the region, with few exceptions. This change in family income needed to pay for college has disproportionately impacted New England's lower-income families.

Thankfully, some colleges in the region are attempting to buck the trend by freezing undergraduate tuition.

Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire announced that it would freeze tuition at $28,250 for the 2012-13 year, while citing last year's 2% tuition increase as the lowest hike among all four-year private and public colleges in the state. The university also eliminated course fees and campus parking fees.

Similarly, Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts announced that it would hold tuition as well as room and board charges at 2011-12 levels.

The University of Maine system also froze in-state tuition for the 2012-13 year.

The website FinAid, created by Mark Kantrowitz, the financial aid and college planning author who also publishes FastWeb, lists colleges that have cut or frozen tuition instead of raising it.

Monnica Chan is director of policy & research at NEBHE.