AOL.com: “Here’s How Much College Tuition Has Increased Since 2006 – and 4 Ways You Can Save”
AOL.com, May 24, 2026 — Reporter Chris Adams writes in today’s article for AOL.com, “It’s no secret that college tuition generally keeps getting more expensive. Just how much in the last two decades? According to U.S. News & World Report, since 2006, tuition and fees at private national universities have increased about 32% (when adjusted for inflation). For public universities, when adjusted for inflation, in-state tuition and fees have risen about 29%, while out-of-state ones have risen about 24%.”
But, he explains, those price tags are just a starting point — there are several ways you can save money on tuition and fees. Here’s some expert-backed advice that could potentially save you thousands of dollars.
Marguerita Cheng, certified financial planner (CFP) and CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth, is the mom of three Gen Z kids. One way they’ve saved on tuition is by being intentional about selecting their high school courses — including advanced placement (AP) courses for college credit.
“They all took AP statistics and AP calculus in high school,” she added. “Since they had a strong foundation, they were able to receive college credit. They took AP coursework that satisfied their general education requirements and helped us save money on tuition.”