Due to the recent recession, the economy has forced universities to increase tuition prices. All higher education funding has decreased by 14.6% since 2008. For most colleges, net tuition has increased from an average of three thousand four hundred fifteen dollars to four thousand five hundred and forty-six dollars. This is an increase of 21.1% compared to the previous year. (CBS News) The economy is starting to show the impact of how people choose college. In the Southern states, most universities saw an increase of more than 70%. Yet families are going into debt to pay for these increases, even as the unemployment rate is rising. (Claudio Sanchez.) Parents value higher education because these days if you don't have college experience or some sort of degree, there are limited career opportunities. Most people want to know where all the money they pay goes. According to Charles Miller, head of the Spelling Commission on the Future of Higher Education, “Take all the money you can. Spend all the money you can get. It describes the way higher education institutions in the United States have traditionally conducted business. Over the years, presidents of research universities have seen a 30% increase in average salaries. It increased 15.5% from the previous year to six hundred and twenty-seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars. States do not use their authority to limit the revenue of colleges and universities or to hold colleges and universities accountable for producing valued results. . (American Enterprise Institute) Universities aggressively seek any type of funding that will make them look and/or function better. At the same time parents are ... middle of paper ... always trying to get rid of their used books quickly and cheaply. Another thing you could save on is parking. There are a couple of tricks like parking close enough to campus that's not too far to walk but far enough that you don't have to pay for a parking permit and then walk the rest of the way. Another is that on many large campuses there is transportation for you, such as buses that transport you from one side of the campus to the other. Many college students bike to school. It can save you a little time like driving would, but it gives you a little more exercise. (William Swanwick). All of these factors help determine how much college really costs. Many people even wonder if tuition prices will ever go down. Hopefully, more students will attend a four-year university and make higher education a reality for low-income families.