Public spending on education has not kept pace with rising enrollment: Public FTE enrollment (millions), educational appropriations per FTE (2018$), and net tuition per FTE (2018$), FY 1992–2018
| Year | Net tuition per FTE | Educational appropriations per FTE | FTE enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | $3,439 | $8,492 | 8.11 |
| 1993 | $3,657 | $8,200 | 8.19 |
| 1994 | $3,785 | $8,307 | 8.12 |
| 1995 | $3,884 | $8,578 | 8.07 |
| 1996 | $4,018 | $8,671 | 8.08 |
| 1997 | $4,075 | $8,997 | 8.09 |
| 1998 | $4,101 | $9,290 | 8.19 |
| 1999 | $4,105 | $9,533 | 8.33 |
| 2000 | $3,916 | $9,493 | 8.58 |
| 2001 | $4,060 | $9,765 | 8.65 |
| 2002 | $4,074 | $9,405 | 9.01 |
| 2003 | $4,168 | $8,712 | 9.48 |
| 2004 | $4,385 | $8,141 | 9.68 |
| 2005 | $4,551 | $8,077 | 9.87 |
| 2006 | $4,854 | $8,481 | 9.81 |
| 2007 | $4,934 | $8,695 | 9.94 |
| 2008 | $4,898 | $8,848 | 10.21 |
| 2009 | $4,969 | $8,265 | 10.68 |
| 2010 | $5,218 | $7,690 | 11.33 |
| 2011 | $5,400 | $7,360 | 11.61 |
| 2012 | $5,876 | $6,689 | 11.53 |
| 2013 | $6,159 | $6,820 | 11.30 |
| 2014 | $6,335 | $7,155 | 11.18 |
| 2015 | $6,524 | $7,454 | 11.06 |
| 2016 | $6,696 | $7,650 | 10.98 |
| 2017 | $6,786 | $7,841 | 10.95 |
| 2018 | $6,788 | $7,853 | 10.93 |
Notes: “FTE enrollment” refers to the number of full-time-equivalent students enrolled in public (state) colleges and universities. “Educational appropriations per FTE” refers to the dollar amount contributed by the states, on average, for each student’s education. “Net tuition per FTE” refers to the average net dollar amount spent by each student on tuition after financial grants have been taken into account. Constant 2018 dollars adjusted by SHEEO Higher Education Cost Adjustment (HECA).
Source: State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, State Higher Education Finance: FY 2018, Figure 1