With student debt outstanding topping 1.2 trillion, parents, students and researchers are asking: Why does college cost so much? Here are some reasons.

"College Price Inflation: In the 1970s and 1980s, college costs rose slower than the prices of other goods and services. But beginning in the 1990s - for reasons not well explained - the price of a degree begin rising faster than the cost of other goods and services. Use the slider to explore a time period and compare college costs to the inflation rates of other goods and services. (SOURCE: BLS, Delta Cost Project) ...

With student debt outstanding topping 1.2 trillion, parents, students and researchers are asking: Why does college cost so much? Here are some reasons.

"College Price Inflation: In the 1970s and 1980s, college costs rose slower than the prices of other goods and services. But beginning in the 1990s - for reasons not well explained - the price of a degree begin rising faster than the cost of other goods and services. Use the slider to explore a time period and compare college costs to the inflation rates of other goods and services. (SOURCE: BLS, Delta Cost Project) ...