Tuition at public colleges and universities has more than tripled in the past 30 years.
Some of the most affordable colleges have high dropout and student loan default rates.
Some experts believe the availability of free or nearly free online education will cause many colleges and universities to close.
Recent college grads owe more than $26,000 on average, and more than a third of them are working in jobs that don't require a college degree.
The average in-state sticker price for a public university is about $8,000 a year. Yet the typical student pays less than a third that amount. Here's how it's done.
Should colleges stand up and say, 'Enough is enough -- we can't, in good conscience, send these kids out into the world with tens of thousands of dollars in debt'?
The U.S. schools with the highest tuition and living expenses are not necessarily the least affordable, a new ranking shows.
A surge in financial aid backed by Washington could be pushing tuition through the roof.
VIDEO ON MSN MONEY
DATA PROVIDERS
Copyright © 2013 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Quotes are real-time for NASDAQ, NYSE and AMEX. See delay times for other exchanges.
Fundamental company data and historical chart data provided by Thomson Reuters (click for restrictions). Real-time quotes provided by BATS Exchange. Real-time index quotes and delayed quotes supplied by Interactive Data Real-Time Services. Fund summary, fund performance and dividend data provided by Morningstar Inc. Analyst recommendations provided by Zacks Investment Research. StockScouter data provided by Verus Analytics. IPO data provided by Hoover's Inc. Index membership data provided by SIX Financial Information.
Japanese stock price data provided by Nomura Research Institute Ltd.; quotes delayed 20 minutes. Canadian fund data provided by CANNEX Financial Exchanges Ltd.
TOP STOCKS
All hail the bull market, which ended the week with a big rally. But it also is starting to look a little like 1987, which suffered an epic blow-out.
MARKET DISPATCHES
The Market Dispatches column has been discontinued. Here's where to find the latest stock and business news on MSN Money, and the latest from market writer Charley Blaine.
FRUGAL COOL
Starting Monday, this site is joining forces with MSN Money Smart Spending. Here's why.
MONEY & POLITICS
Breaking up big banks is an untested solution to the too big to fail problem that attempts to isolate and dismantle large, troubled institutions while protecting the rest of the economy.
SMART SPENDING
Money lessons are where you find them. Use these tips to live long and prosper.
SMART TAXES
The IRS is struggling to combat identify thieves who file fraudulent tax returns in the names of older residents who don't need to file.

