[kesselvon]

This isn't really true, because up until relatively recently most university funding came from the state and not tuition. The decline in state support led to higher tuition costs; federal student loans turned it into a bonanza, but the steep price tags are more because tuition was never the main revenue driver for universities.

[philliphaydon]

When did the funding from state dry up? In the 60's the cost of univerity was like ~$1500 which is ~$11,000 today, yet today people are in debt for up to 100's of 1000's. The higher education act was introduced in the 60's, and its been downhill from there.

[gruez]

>yet today people are in debt for up to 100's of 1000's

That's extremely atypical. AFAIK the average student debt at graduation is around $35k.