NEW ENGLAND BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION - Published Tuition and Fees at Public Colleges and Universities in New England 2020-2021

Oct 15, 2026

Report analyzing published tuition and fees for public two- and four-year colleges in New England for the 2020–21 academic year. It frames the findings within coronavirus-era disruptions, comparing 2020–21 rates to pre-pandemic levels to show how institutions responded to fiscal losses and student affordability pressures. It also contextualizes enrollment and economic impacts on low-income communities and students of color, highlighting shifts in return-to-campus intentions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages33

Reading Time1 h 23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on higher education in New England

Tuition and fee trends compared to pre-pandemic levels

Undergraduate enrollment at public institutions in New England

NEW ENGLAND BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION PUBLISHED TUITION AND FEES AT PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN NEW ENGLAND 2020-2021 Brief Prepared By: Sheridan Miller-State Policy Engagement Specialist November, 2021 INTRODUCTION 1 Higher education in the United States has seen incredible change over the past year and a half due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Postsecondary institutions have had to become increasingly flexible as they continue to deal with myriad changes including but not limited to: social distancing, mask mandates, virtual and hybrid modalities, and students opting not to return to campus or to school at all. To address the last issue, some institutions have tried to incentiv ize students to return to campus by implementing tuition freezes or allocating the funds that they received from state and federal governments in ways that increased access and affordability. While students and families struggled in the wake of the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, so too did higher education institutions, which lost millions of dollars in tuition and fees, as well as auxiliary revenues, due to the immediate closure of physical campuses in March 2020. Once campuses reopened, they also financed a number of safety measures, such as regular viral testing, personal protective equipment ( PPE), and quarantine and isolation housing. This report examines the tuition and fees of public two-and four-year colleges in New England for the 2020-21 academic year. Because there is a one-year lag in the publication of tuition and fee data, this report provides a unique snapshot of the economic landscape of colleges and universities in New England during the first full academic year of the coronavirus pandemic. Throughout this report we will compare the 2020-21 tuition and fees rates to pre-pandemic levels—an important comparison that will demonstrate how colleges and universities have sought to balance both their fiscal losses and those of many of their students and their families. Not only did the effects of the coronavirus pandemic cause the greatest rate of American unemployment since the Great Depression ( in May 2020 unemployment hit 14.7% nationally and 15.7% regionally), but the virus also had a significant and inequitable impact on low-income families, as well as families of color and younger adults across the country and in New England. According to a September 2020 report by the Pew Research center, while one in four adults surveyed had a hard time paying their bills due to the coronavirus and its subsequent economic effects, 47% of lower income adults reported experiencing coronavirus-related job losses or pay cuts, compared to 42% of middle income adults, and 32% of upper income adults. Among students in New England, 45% stated that they lost their jobs or incomes due to the pandemic, and 49% believe that continuing their education would help them with their career options. However, there seems to be a diminishing confidence in the traditional delivery of higher education, especially among adult learners. In a January 2021 Strada report, 68% of adult learners surveyed expressed a preference for non-degree programs, believing that short-term credentials are more lucrative for their career prospects. 2 Just as coronavirus has disparately impacted low-income families and individuals in job losses and pay cuts, the pandemic has also inequitably influenced which students have chosen to return to higher education. While enrollment rates in 2020-21 decreased among all students, the decline was especially steep among Black and Hispanic students. One-third of Hispanic students and one-fourth of Black students reported cancelling or delaying their plans to return to college, compared to just one in six white students. Going forward, it is imperative to re-evaluate how best to support students of color in an equitable manner, especially because recent census data and higher education enrollment reports

FAQs

What time period does the report cover for tuition and fees data?

The report covers published tuition and fees for the 2020–21 academic year at public two- and four-year colleges and universities in New England.

Why does the report compare 2020–21 tuition and fees with pre-pandemic levels?

It uses the comparison to show how colleges and universities balanced fiscal losses with the affordability needs of students and families during the first full academic year of the pandemic.

What enrollment and equity impacts does the report highlight?

Enrollment declines in 2020–21 are described as steeper for Black and Hispanic students, with notable shares reporting cancellation or delay of return plans, alongside broader economic hardship affecting low-income families and communities of color.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jordan Avery