6-year graduation rate?
If the funding and money issues are based on six-years to get a BA then that is the first place you need to start!
The standard time to get a residential, aka full-time student, BA should be 4 years not six. If the colleges have to spend time teaching “bonehead” English or math then their (the college’s) acceptance criteria is too low.
After the American colligate education system has gone back to a 4-year bachelor’s degree as the standard then we can hold a “discussion” on the cost of a college degree. Until then no valid comparison can be made; until then you are comparing pineapples (one a fruit the other a grenade)!
There HAVE been suggestions to make Engineering degrees 5-year programs, but only because the required background calls for an additional courseload well above the “standard” 15-credit semester. I can recall MY days in engineering school, it was usually 18-20 credits per semester. . .
SIL got his engineering degree from U Florida in 5.5 years. He finished when his Dad offered him conditional support and told him to get rid of his car. He makes six figures today. I got my first baccalaureate degree 10 years after HS graduation. I had several interruptions before spending 3 years at U Missouri in a Navy commissioning program. I have a second bachelor’s and a master’s now.
Some people take longer to grow up. They should not grow up under full financial assistance.