The U.S. Department of Education has released the 2025 College Affordability and Transparency Report, a federal update that compiles college price data and the explanations institutions gave for rising costs. The report matters to students, families and taxpayers because it puts tuition, net price and school-by-school cost trends in one place while adding downloadable responses from colleges and universities for the first time.
Key facts
- The report was released on October 14, 2026, by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education.
- Nearly 450 colleges and universities were required to complete the 2025 College Affordability and Transparency Explanation Form.
- ED said 198 institutions were included on the list of highest increases in tuition and fees, and 216 were included on the highest increase in net cost list.
- For the first time, ED said institutional responses are available in downloadable format.
What this means for students and families
The report gives prospective students a way to compare expensive and lower-cost institutions using federal data rather than relying only on posted sticker prices. ED says the figures can also show a gap between published tuition and what students actually pay, which is especially relevant for first-generation and low-income applicants who may use published price as a starting point.
Students can use the College Affordability and Transparency Center and the FAFSA Lower Earnings Indicator alongside the report when weighing options. ED also says its annual lists include both higher-priced and lower-priced schools, reflecting that higher tuition does not always mean a better college experience.
- Check reported tuition and net price before applying.
- Compare schools across sectors, including four-year, two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
- Look at institutional explanations for price increases, which are now downloadable.
Which colleges are highlighted in the report?
ED spotlighted several high-cost institutions, including the University of Southern California, Columbia University in the City of New York, Kenyon College, Brown University, Pepperdine University, California Institute of the Arts and Loyola Marymount. It also highlighted lower-cost institutions such as Brigham Young University, Western Governors University, the University of Fort Lauderdale, West Virginia University at Parkersburg, California State University – Los Angeles and Texas College.
The department said these examples show why students should review both published tuition and net price, since the amounts can differ substantially from one institution to another and from sticker price to actual cost.
Why is the Education Department making the data easier to access?
ED says it is trying to improve transparency around college pricing by making institutional responses more accessible and by publishing the underlying data each year. The department said this helps bring public scrutiny to rising costs and gives students and families a clearer view of why prices have increased over time.
How many institutions had to respond?
Nearly 450 institutions were required to submit the 2025 explanation form, and the department summarized those responses in the report. ED said many institutions pointed to added staff, higher salaries and wages, and higher operational costs as reasons for cost increases.
What do the responses say about future price cuts?
ED said 60% of institutions reported they had no plans to lower prices, while 40% said they intended to do so. The department said it has also seen some institutions freeze or lower tuition, fees and other costs over the past year.
