College tuition increases have been insane over the past 40 years, far far above the CPI. Extreme administrative bloat, fat faculty salaries, and ever-escalating student and family expectations (for cushier dorms, endless non-academic activity programs, etc.) are the primary culprits. The flabby bloat is facilitated by the reckless public aid and student loan programs, of course, which allow college bureaucrats to avoid all responsibility for reining in costs.