Expensive lessons: Charting the rise of college tuition fees

3/9/23 7:00PM

Collegiate grief

‍This week, private loan company SoFi filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education, attempting to stop the government-sanctioned student loan billing suspension that’s been benefiting the majority of borrowers for 36 months.

The filing comes as the conversation around student loans in the US amplifies, with Biden’s proposed forgiveness — which could see some 40 million former students have up to $20k of debt erased — hanging in the balance as the Supreme Court reviews a host of lawsuits against the motion.

‍The cost of education

‍College enrollment in the US has started to drop in recent years, falling some 4.1% in 2022, as would-be attendees question whether it’s still really worth it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which has been tracking the rising cost of college for the last 40 years, won’t relieve any prospective students of their financial pessimism either.

Indeed, the BLS estimates that college-goers are now forking out 1246% more than their predecessors were in 1980 — and that’s just on tuition fees. Textbooks, materials and other educational supplies have also soared 949% since then. Both are way ahead of overall inflation, which has climbed a relatively modest 285% over the same period.

Hyunsoo Rim

TAXLIATELLE

11/11/25

Italian pasta could cost twice as much in the US under new tariffs

New tariffs could take import duties to 107% on Italian noodles.

Uncooked (raw) spaghetti and tomatoes on the national flag of Italy. Illustration of the concept of Italian cuisine and pasta

J. Edward Moreno11/4/25

Starbucks sells control of China business for $4 billion

Starbucks disclosed on Monday evening in a regulatory filing that it will sell control of its ailing China business to Boyu Capital for about $4 billion.

Under the agreement, Boyu will own a 60% stake in the China segment, which will become a joint venture between Boyu and Starbucks. The coffee chain will retain a 40% interest in the entity and will continue to own and license the brand and intellectual property.

Bloomberg reported earlier this year that the company was looking to sell its China segment. The American coffee giant has struggled to succeed in China, its second-largest market after the US.

Tom Jones

10/6/25

OPEC and others are boosting oil production as the race to catch up with the US goes on

This month’s 137,000-barrel-a-day boost is a little more modest than some expected.

Millie Giles

RED FLAG, GREEN FLAG

9/25/25

China, the world’s largest carbon polluter, has pledged to cut emissions for the first time

President Xi Jinping has announced that China is aiming to slash carbon emissions by up to 10% in the next decade.

solar power station on the rooftop of the factory

Claire Yubin Oh9/19/25

John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

Despite a record year of passenger numbers, flight cancellations, and delays, a new survey has revealed that flyers have been increasingly satisfied about their experiences in North American airports.

According to this year’s North America Airport Satisfaction Study from data analysts at J.D. Power, overall passenger satisfaction scores were up 10 points (on a 1,000-point scale), largely from “improvements in food, beverage and retail and ease of travel through the airport.” The annual survey measures overall traveler satisfaction across the region’s airports in seven categories (in order of importance): ease of travel, level of trust, terminal facilities, airport staff, airport departure experience, food and retail, and airport arrival experience.

Here are the region’s favorites:

Expensive lessons: Charting the rise of college tuition fees

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Starbucks sells control of China business for $4 billion

John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

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