Which universities are lowering their fees

Some of the reductions are significant. The cuts are so far mostly among private institutions, suggesting they are particularly concerned about meeting enrollment goals in the coming years, one expert said.

Spikes in confirmed coronavirus cases this summer prompted many institutions to remain online for the fall. But as research suggests , students favor face-to-face instruction over virtual, some institutions tried cutting tuition as a way to incentivize first-year students to attend and existing students to return. Wealthy colleges, which weren't so financially strapped, chopped tuition partially as a means to assist struggling students and families, higher ed finance experts told Education Dive this summer.

Private colleges are more likely to lower their posted tuition prices because they can do so without losing much revenue, said Robert Kelchen, a higher education professor at Seton Hall University. Institutions, particularly less-selective private schools, can instead trim back financial aid to protect their bottom line and not scare off students with the initial price tag, Kelchen said. The statement also touted the new cost as being about what students attending public colleges in Virginia pay.

Kelchen said price reductions would likely continue after students' first year, as families won't like paying more later. Follow Jeremy Bauer-Wolf on Twitter. A look at the pandemic's impact on enrollment and how colleges can ensure students stay on course. As population tallies roll out, campuses and city halls worry a census interrupted by COVID could choke available public dollars.

Search x. An article from. With enrollment numbers plunging , some colleges and universities are taking an aggressive approach to lure students back. Amid the coronavirus and economic downturn, financial constraints have finally put a limit on what families can afford to pay, while many also contend that remote learning is just not worth the same as face-to-face instruction — causing some would-be college students to rethink their plans altogether.

More from Personal Finance: Falling enrollment, lost tuition puts colleges in financial distress Coronavirus slows pace of annual college tuition increases College students argue distance learning should cost less. Mandel wrote in a letter to the community.

For years, college costs have crept higher and higher, creating an affordability crisis for students and their families. The Great Recession led to declining funds from state and local governments, forcing many colleges to rely on tuition as a primary source of revenue.

Now, in the middle of the pandemic, schools are under more pressure to keep these increases in check. The price for undergraduate tuition, fees, room, and board at private for-profit institutions were 6 percent lower in —19 than in —09, after adjustment for inflation. Department of Labor, adjusted to an academic-year basis. NOTE: Data are for the entire academic year and are average charges for full-time students. Tuition and fees were weighted by the number of full-time-equivalent undergraduates, but were not adjusted to reflect student residency.

For public institutions, in-state tuition and required fees are used.