Average cost of college went up for students in Kanawha County in 2022-23 school year

College tuition fees rose 1.6% in Kanawha County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Data shows that students paid $15,281 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $234 more than the previous school year.

Among the eight institutions in the county, the University of Charleston stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $31,900. Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston followed with an average of $16,297 per year. Ben Franklin Career Center students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $4,900.

At the time, a total of $10 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Kanawha County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $2.3 million.

Currently there are eight higher education institutions in Kanawha County, including University of Charleston, Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston, and Ben Franklin Career Center.

Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.

According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.

Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.

Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.