Over the past decade, the United States has emphasized the importance of college education for those seeking employment and better careers. For most people, college is the logical next step in education because it provides practical knowledge of a desired field and opens the door to many opportunities, but college has become increasingly expensive with time. Many people feel that college is no longer a financially viable option. Even with financial aid and scholarships, the cost of college can still be very high. This is due to the massive increase in prices across the board, but the main issue that concerns most people is the debt that will be acquired through higher education. The debt associated with higher education is one of the biggest deterrents for most interested people. in college, and that's not at all surprising. 71% of students who graduated from college last year had student debt, and the average debt for a student with a four-year degree is $29,400. This figure has increased by an average of 6% each year. Keep in mind that this is just the average debt and some students have more than $30,000 in debt (projectonstudentdebt.org). However, to understand why the debt is so high, it is better to break down the different costs of higher education. The first and most important is tuition fees. Tuition represents the cost of classes at a college or university and is the most expensive part of a college education, accounting for 60% of the overall price (Bashkar and Gopalan). Tuition has become more and more expensive over the years and has increased almost 500% since 1986, which is much more than inflation or tuition (Willie). The question is why there has been such a mas... middle of paper ... Textbook prices are rising faster than tuition and inflation. » http://www.huffingtonpost.com/. Np, nd Web, December 7, 2013. Online School Guide. “A Breakdown of the Costs of College Education.” Guide to Online Schools, nd Web, December 7, 2013. Kowal, Julie, Joe Ableidinger, and Bryan C. Hassel. “K-12 Tenure Reform Options.” By Emily Hassel, np, nd N. pag. the Cost of College. " Center for College Affordability and Productivity, September 2010. Web. December 11. 2013. .