By Kira Rysiewicz
It’s no secret that the cost of college today is a hard figure to swallow and is a cost that continues to rise. With the combined expenses of tuition, room and board, the price sticker can be quite shocking.
Students looking to attend a four-year college must pay attention to a school’s affordability and the return they will get on that investment. So how does Bradley University stack up against other private four-year universities?
According to the Trends in Higher Education report released by College Board, Bradley is right in the middle of private, nonprofit universities nationwide for the 2013-2014 academic year. In fact, Bradley is over $1,600 cheaper than the national average for tuition, room and board. Bradley’s listed price totals $38,714 for this year, while the national average is $40,587.
When it is broken down further and compared to other private schools in the Midwest, Bradley still falls within the average numbers, although slightly more expensive. Average tuition, room and board for Midwestern private schools is $38,058 for the 2013-2014 year. In the past 10 years, Midwestern schools have seen an average of 28 percent increase in that cost and the national average increase is 28 percent as well.
Tom Richmond, executive director for enrollment management for admissions at Bradley, cites two reasons for Bradley’s affordable pricing. “First, we are located in a medium-sized Midwestern community. The cost of living in Central Illinois is lower than the coasts and the cost is less than living in a major metropolitan area,” he said. “Second, Bradley, over time, has made a conscious choice not to raise prices as quickly as some similar universities have. We’ve maintained a moderate price on purpose.”
Many students and parents assume that a private university costs significantly more than a public institution, but that’s not always the case. According to a 2011 report by College Board, 83 percent of public university students received some type of financial aid compared to 89 percent of private university students. Bradley surpasses both, with 97 percent of students receiving some type of financial assistance.
Senior Bradley student Nyssa Midden had to make the decision of whether to attend a state school or a private school. Her mom works at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill. so she could have received half off tuition had she chosen a state school.
“Even though Bradley cost a lot more for me to attend, I felt it was totally worth it,” Midden said. “It had the right programs for me to get into great graduate programs.”
Bradley University isn’t considered a ‘cheap’ school by any means, but many may be surprised to find its cost falls within the middle of similar universities regionally and nationwide. Richmond says that the return on the investment is greater than that of larger, public schools.
“The very best colleges have to stand out by being distinctly different. For Bradley, we’ve maintained a focus on teaching undergraduates and mentoring that you don’t typically find at state schools,” Richmond said. “At the same time, we’ve developed a reputation for successfully placing our graduates into careers by giving them real-world experience before they graduate.”
Sometimes it’s good to stand out, but when it comes to the cost of college tuition, fitting right in the middle is usually the best bet. Luckily for Bradley, they are right on target with the national average.