Higher education in Connecticut, 1993-2016

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Higher education
Enrollment statistics
Tuition statistics
Financial aid statistics
Retention rates
Graduation rates
Higher education funding

Connecticut's higher education system is composed of 42 colleges and universities. Of these, 19 are public institutions, 19 are nonprofit private schools, and four are for-profit private institutions.

HIGHLIGHTS

In Connecticut, public tuition amounted to an average of $10,128 and private tuition amounted to an average of $35,407.

Average student debt held by college graduates in Connecticut amounted to about $29,750, ranking 7th highest in the country.

State support for public higher education in Connecticut totaled $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2015, a 25.8 percent increase over fiscal year 2013.

Higher education policy decisions can affect college access, the retention of students and the eventual completion of their degrees, student rights on campus, students' financial burden in the form of debt, and their employment prospects after graduation. Click on the tabs below to learn more about higher education in Connecticut.

Overview

Overview

Total number of schools: 42

Public schools: 19

State agency: Office of Higher Education Board of Regents for Higher Education

Retention rate: 74%

Graduation rate: 63.4%

Average public in-state tuition: $10,128

Total funding for public higher education: $1,117,135,194

Funding per full-time student: $7,192

Higher education in the United States • Education policy • Education policy in the United States • Public education in Connecticut

Overview

Higher education policy refers to the decisions made by the federal government, state legislatures, higher education boards, and colleges and universities themselves. These decisions can affect how state funding is allocated, who sets tuition and at what level, campus resources available for academically struggling students, degrees and programs offered, and state financial aid eligibility and award amounts, as some examples. Higher education entities also set policies that manage campus environments, such as the prohibition or allowance of guns on campus and rules regarding free speech and student protests.

Generally speaking, there are four types of postsecondary educational institutions in the United States:

1. Public two-year institutions, which are most commonly known as community colleges, typically "award associate degrees in vocational fields [and] prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions." These schools are financed in large part with public funds. Manchester Community College is an example of a public two-year institution in Connecticut.
2. Public four-year colleges and universities award baccalaureate and/or graduate degrees. Traditionally, a distinction has been made between colleges and universities, with colleges awarding only four-year degrees and universities awarding both four-year and graduate-level degrees; however, these two terms are often used interchangeably today. Like their two-year counterparts, public four-year colleges and universities are financed largely with public funds. The University of Connecticut and Western Connecticut State University are examples of public four-year institutions in Connecticut.
3. Private nonprofit institutions can vary dramatically in size, course offerings, and mission. These institutions do not receive public funding directly. Instead, private nonprofit schools are financed primarily by tuition, gifts, and endowments. These schools do not generate profit. Yale University and Quinnipiac University are examples of private nonprofit institutions in Connecticut.
4. Private for-profit institutions typically specialize in vocational education. Like their nonprofit counterparts, these schools do not receive public funds. These mainly online universities generally serve older students and endeavor to generate profits. Examples in Connecticut include Lincoln College of New England and Post University.

Founded in 1701, Yale University is the oldest postsecondary institution in Connecticut. The University of Connecticut, the state's flagship public university, was founded in 1880.

As of July 2016, there were 19 public colleges and universities in Connecticut, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. These are listed in the table below.

Public postsecondary institutions in Connecticut
School	Type
Asnuntuck Community College	Two-year
Capital Community College	Two-year
Central Connecticut State University	Four-year
Charter Oak State College	Four-year
Eastern Connecticut State University	Four-year
Gateway Community College	Two-year
Housatonic Community College	Two-year
Manchester Community College	Two-year
Middlesex Community College	Two-year
Naugatuck Valley Community College	Two-year
Northwestern Connecticut Community College	Two-year
Norwalk Community College	Two-year
Quinebaug Valley Community College	Two-year
Southern Connecticut State University	Four-year
Three Rivers Community College	Two-year
Tunxis Community College	Two-year
United States Coast Guard Academy	Four-year
University of Connecticut	Four-year
Western Connecticut State University	Four-year
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "College Navigator - Connecticut"

State agencies

Yale University

The Office of Higher Education "seeks to advance the promise of postsecondary education for all state residents, and to advocate on behalf of students, taxpayers, and the postsecondary schools and colleges which fall under its purview." Specific responsibilities include:

• student financial aid administration,
• "licensure and accreditation of Connecticut's independent colleges and universities," and
• "licensure of in-state academic programs offered by out-of-state institutions.

The Board of Regents for Higher Education oversees the state's public colleges and universities. The board's responsibilities include:

• setting tuition and fee policies,
• setting financial aid policies, and
• reviewing, licensing and accrediting academic programs.

The board is composed of 15 voting members. Of these, nine are appointed by the governor. Four are appointed by the Connecticut State Legislature. Of these four, one must be a "specialist in K-12 education" and three must be alumni of the Connecticut Community Colleges, Connecticut State Universities, and/or Charter Oak State College. The board also includes six non-voting members: the Commissioner of the Department of Education, the Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Commissioner of the Department of Labor, the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health and the Chair and Vice Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee.

Admissions

Enrollment

See also: Higher education enrollment statistics

According to the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, college enrollment typically rises during economic downturns and declines as the economy improves. In 2014, higher education enrollment nationwide was 8.6 percent higher than pre-recession levels in 2008. However, enrollment has been declining since 2012. Full-time enrollment in higher education institutions rose sharply following the recession before peaking in 2011 and then dropping off.

College enrollment in Connecticut did not follow this trend; between 2012 and 2014, full-time enrollment increased from about 85,700 to about 88,700 . In 2014, full-time college enrollment in Connecticut was 15 percent higher than in 2008. Click [show] on the green bar below the bar chart to view full-time public university enrollment in Connecticut as compared to surrounding states.

Full-time enrollment in public postsecondary institutions, FY 2008 to FY 2014
State	FY 2008 (pre-recession)	FY 2009	FY 2012	FY 2013	FY 2014	1-year change	5-year change	Change since recession
Connecticut	77,088	80,433	85,683	87,810	88,681	1.0%	10.3%	15.0%
Massachusetts	148,288	155,387	170,221	171,974	172,574	0.3%	11.1%	16.4%
New Hampshire	32,982	34,311	39,099	39,224	36,988	-5.7%	7.8%	12.1%
Rhode Island	30,120	30,774	31,729	31,701	31,309	-1.2%	1.7%	3.9%
United States	10,254,148	10,721,466	11,563,321	11,288,232	11,137,541	-1.3%	3.9%	8.6%
Note: Full-time enrollment excludes medical students. Source: State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, "State Higher Education Finance: FY 2014"

Demographics

Enrollment by race and ethnicity

In Connecticut, total enrollment—full-time and part-time—in all public and private higher education institutions amounted to 200,966 in fall 2013. About 62.6 percent of these students were white. Hispanic students comprised approximately 13.2 percent of the total postsecondary student population in Connecticut. During that time, 65.5 percent of the state's general population was white and 13.8 percent was Hispanic, with other ethnic groups making up the remainder. The table below lists demographic information for both postsecondary students and the general population in Connecticut and surrounding states.

Higher education enrollment by race/ethnicity, 2013
State	Population category	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	Pacific Islander	American Indian/Alaska Native	Two or more races	Non-resident alien
Connecticut	Postsecondary students	62.6%	12.5%	13.2%	4.8%	0.1%	0.3%	2.2%	4.4%
	General population	65.5%	13.1%	13.8%	5.0%	0.1%	0.3%	2.3%	N/A
Massachusetts	Postsecondary students	62.2%	8.7%	9.9%	7.4%	0.1%	0.2%	2.5%	9.0%
	General population	68.3%	9.5%	10.9%	8.1%	0.1%	0.3%	2.8%	N/A
New Hampshire	Postsecondary students	81.0%	6.5%	4.2%	2.9%	0.1%	0.7%	1.3%	3.2%
	General population	83.7%	6.7%	4.4%	3.0%	0.1%	0.7%	1.4%	N/A
Rhode Island	Postsecondary students	68.4%	6.9%	11.4%	4.3%	0.1%	0.4%	2.8%	5.7%
	General population	72.6%	7.3%	12.1%	4.6%	0.1%	0.4%	3.0%	N/A
United States	Postsecondary students	56.9%	14.1%	15.2%	5.9%	0.3%	0.8%	2.7%	4.1%
	General population	59.3%	14.7%	15.8%	6.1%	0.3%	0.8%	2.9%	N/A
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 306.60. Fall enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity of student and state or jurisdiction: 2013"

Enrollment by sex

In 2013, 57.4 percent of all postsecondary students in Connecticut were female, which was higher than the national rate of 56.5 percent. The table below lists postsecondary student enrollment by sex in Connecticut and surrounding states.

Higher education enrollment by sex, 2013
State	Total students	Male students	Percentage	Female students	Percentage
Connecticut	200,966	85,657	42.6%	115,309	57.4%
Massachusetts	514,008	222,792	43.3%	291,216	56.7%
New Hampshire	92,440	38,975	42.2%	53,465	57.8%
Rhode Island	83,460	36,424	43.6%	47,036	56.4%
United States	20,375,789	8,860,786	43.5%	11,515,003	56.5%
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 304.30. Total fall enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by attendance status, sex, and state or jurisdiction: 2012 and 2013"

Affirmative action

See also: Affirmative action and Affirmative action in Connecticut

Federal law requires government contractors and other departments and agencies receiving federal funding to develop and implement affirmative action plans for the hiring process. Public colleges and universities are considered federal contractors and must utilize affirmative action in their employment practices. However, many private and public colleges and universities across the country have also implemented similar measures in their admissions processes. These actions are typically voluntary, although a handful of states have adopted rules that require state universities to take affirmative action in admissions.

Affirmative action admissions programs were undertaken by public and private universities alike, beginning in the late 1960s and 1970s. Some universities initially established quotas in order to achieve a demographically diverse student body; these quotas were outlawed by the United States Supreme Court in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke in 1978.

Affirmative action can also take other forms, such as targeted outreach campaigns. Today, a common form of affirmative action in college admissions is that of racial preferences. A preference occurs when a group of applicants is more likely to be admitted than other applicants with similar or better qualifications due to other factors, such as race or ethnicity. Preferences are also sometimes extended towards women, athletes, and children of alumni. The use of racial preferences may be related to college selectivity: scholars such as law professor Richard Sander have found that preferences are strongest at elite institutions.

Eight states have enacted laws banning the consideration of race in university admissions. As of March 2015, Connecticut was not one of these states. Connecticut has two laws with affirmative action requirements for public colleges and universities. One requires the Board of Governors of Higher Education to create an Office of Educational Opportunity in the Department of Higher Education with the purpose of increasing diversity in enrollment and staffing. The other requires the Board of Governors of Higher Education to develop an affirmative action plan for each public postsecondary institution. Of seven public four-year universities in Connecticut, four reported considering race in admissions, as indicated in the chart below.

See statute: C.G.S. § 10a-10

See statute: C.G.S. § 10a-11

Consideration of race at public four-year universities in Connecticut
School	Race/ethnicity is...				School selectivity*
	Very important	Important	Considered	Not considered
Central Connecticut State University					Somewhat selective
Charter Oak State College	N/A				N/A
Eastern Connecticut State University					Somewhat selective
Southern Connecticut State University					Somewhat selective
United States Coast Guard Academy					Most selective
University of Connecticut					Very selective
Western Connecticut State University					Somewhat selective
Sources: The College Board, "Big Future," accessed March 30, 2015 CollegeData, "College 411," accessed March 30, 2015 *Note: This scale of college selectivity comes from The College Board and is measured as follows: Most selective, less than 25 percent admitted; Very selective, 25 percent to 50 percent admitted; Somewhat selective, 50 percent to 75 percent admitted; Less selective, more than 75 percent admitted; Open admission, all or most admitted.

Click [show] to learn more about the data

Information on which colleges consider race in admissions came from individual college profiles provided by two websites that aim to assist students in choosing a college: The College Board and CollegeData. Such information was reported to The College Board by the colleges themselves. Note that schools may have updated their policies since reporting them. To see the data: College Board: Click the link to the college's profile provided in the table below. Click "Applying" on the side menu and scroll down. Listed will be several criteria of admission into the college, separated by importance. If Race/Ethnicity is not listed, it was not reported as considered by the college's admissions officers. CollegeData: Click the link to the college's profile provided in the table below. Scroll down to the section titled "Selection of Students" to see a chart of admission criteria ranked from "Very Important" to "Not Considered." Links to school profiles School School profiles School School profiles College Board CollegeData College Board CollegeData Central Connecticut State University Link Link Charter Oak State College Link Link Eastern Connecticut State University Link Link Southern Connecticut State University Link Link United States Coast Guard Academy Link Link University of Connecticut Link Link Western Connecticut State University Link Link

Student costs

See also: Higher education tuition statistics

In-state and private tuition

Tuition accounts for just a portion of student costs; in many states, the cost of room and board equals or surpasses the cost of tuition at public universities. However, unlike room and board, tuition has risen much faster than inflation, increasing by 40 percent between the 2005-2006 and the 2015-2016 school years. The consumer price index increased by 21.5 percent over the same time period. Some studies suggest that universities have increased tuition as a response to state budget cuts, while others correlate rising tuition with the availability of financial aid.

In the 2013-2014 academic year, the national average in-state cost for tuition and required fees at a public four-year school totaled $8,312. For a private four-year school, the average was $25,696. In Connecticut, these figures were higher: $10,128 and $35,407, respectively. Public university tuition in the state increased 38 percent between 2005-2006 and 2015-2016. The graph below displays average tuition prices in Connecticut as compared to the nationwide average for each year during that time. Hover over the points to view precise figures. The table below the graph compares 2013-2014 average annual tuition costs in Connecticut with those in surrounding states.

Note: Discrepancies in data between the line graph and the table below are due to differing sources of information.

Higher education tuition and fees at 4-year institutions, 2013-2014 (in current dollars)
State	Public in-state			Private
	2012-2013	2013-2014	Percent change	2012-2013	2013-2014	Percent change
Connecticut	$9,517	$10,128	6.4%	$35,336	$35,407	0.2%
Massachusetts	$10,632	$10,702	0.7%	$36,795	$38,009	3.3%
New Hampshire	$14,435	$14,469	0.2%	$30,202	$31,029	2.7%
Rhode Island	$10,817	$10,809	-0.1%	$33,940	$35,036	3.2%
United States	$8,070	$8,312	3.0%	$24,525	$25,696	4.8%
Note: Dollar figures do not account for differences in the cost of living between states. Learn more here. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 330.20. Average undergraduate tuition and fees and room and board rates charged for full-time students in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by control and level of institution and state or jurisdiction: 2012-13 and 2013-14"

Out-of-state tuition

See also: Higher education tuition statistics

Public postsecondary schools receive some of their funding from their state's government. This money in turn comes from taxation of the state's residents. Since neither out-of-state students nor their parents paid that state's taxes, the schools charge these students additional tuition to account for the difference. This additional charge is a significant increase over in-state tuition in all 50 states. In the 2013-2014 school year, out-of-state students nationwide paid an average of $22,603 in annual tuition and required fees, 272 percent higher than the in-state average of $8,312.

Students attending public postsecondary institutions in Connecticut from outside of the state were required to pay an average of $28,337, a 280 percent difference over the average in-state tuition of $10,128. The average out-of-state tuition price for Connecticut was higher than the national average by about $5,700. The table below compares in-state and out-of-state tuition figures for Connecticut with those of surrounding states.

Average annual in-state and out-of-state tuition and required fees, 2013-2014
State	Average in-state tuition	Average out-of-state tuition	Percent difference
Connecticut	$10,128	$28,337	280%
Massachusetts	$10,702	$25,461	238%
New Hampshire	$14,469	$25,357	175%
Rhode Island	$10,809	$26,763	248%
United States	$8,312	$22,603	272%
Note: Dollar figures do not account for differences in the cost of living between states. Learn more here. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 330.20. Average undergraduate tuition and fees and room and board rates charged for full-time students in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by control and level of institution and state or jurisdiction: 2012-13 and 2013-14"

Financial aid

See also: Higher education financial aid statistics

The federal government provides financial aid to undergraduate students in the form of grants and loans. Notable grants administered by the United States government include Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). Loan programs administered by the federal government include the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program and Federal Perkins Loan Program. Perkins Loans have an interest rate of 5 percent, while Direct Loans have interest rates that vary based on the date of disbursement and the loan type: loans disbursed between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2017, have interest rates ranging from 3.76 percent to 7.21 percent. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average default rate on Perkins Loans was 11.8 percent for borrowers who entered into repayment in 2012; the rate reflects borrowers who defaulted prior to September 30, 2014. This is compared to average default rates of 7.2 percent on home loans and 2.23 percent on credit card loans in 2014.

In addition, colleges and universities often offer institution-specific financial aid to their students, and individual states may also administer student financial aid programs. According to the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, the states disbursed approximately $11.7 billion in state-based financial aid to postsecondary students in the 2013-2014 academic year. This represented about 5 percent of all financial aid provided to undergraduate students, according to The College Board. Connecticut awarded $157 million in state-based financial aid during that time. The table below provides state-based aid figures for Connecticut and surrounding states in 2013-2014.

Total state-based financial aid, 2013-2014 (in millions)
State	Need-based grant aid	Non-need-based grant aid	Non-grant aid	Total
Connecticut	$39.81	$0.27	$106.9	$146.98
Massachusetts	$87.04	$4.06	$45.35	$136.45
New Hampshire	-	-	-	-
Rhode Island	$11.92	-	-	$11.92
United States	$7,491.27	$2,446.92	$1,756.51	$11,694.70
Note: Dollar figures do not account for differences in the cost of living between states. Learn more here. Source: National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, "45th Annual Survey Report on State-Sponsored Student Financial Aid"

Student debt

See also: Student debt in higher education in the United States

Student debt is a major concern for both parents and students. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, in school year 2013-2014, an average of 62 percent of all students nationwide graduated with debt at an average of about $27,779 per borrower. The state with the lowest average debt held by students was Utah, where average student debt was about $18,921. Conversely, students who graduated from colleges and universities in Delaware held an average of about $33,808 in debt, the highest in the country.

During the 2013-2014 school year, about 62 percent of postsecondary students at both public and private schools in Connecticut graduated with debt. Average debt held amounted to about $29,750, ranking 7th highest in the country. The table below compares the average student debt, percentage of graduates with debt, and national rankings of Connecticut and surrounding states.

Average student debt and percentage of graduates with debt, 2013-2014
State	Average debt	National rank	Percentage with debt	National rank
Connecticut	$29,750	7	62%	21
Massachusetts	$29,391	11	65%	15
New Hampshire	$33,410	2	76%	1
Rhode Island	$31,841	4	65%	14
United States	$27,779	--	62%	--
Source: CollegeInSight, "Explore All Data"

While tuition for private schools is typically higher than that of public schools, debt does not always follow this same pattern. The Institute for College Access and Success analyzed data on student debt held by graduates of public and private schools. They found that in the 2013-2014 school year, about 60 percent of students nationwide who graduated from a public institution had debt, which averaged about $25,665 per borrower. For private schools, they found that approximately 65 percent of students graduated with an average of $28,498 in debt. However, in some states, such as New Hampshire, students on average graduated from private schools with less debt than those who graduated from public schools.

During the 2013-2014 school year, about 65 percent of graduates from Connecticut's public schools graduated with an average of $24,831 in debt. About 59 percent of private school students graduated with an average of $36,242 in debt. As this data shows, students who graduated from public schools during this year had less debt on average than those who graduated from private schools. The table below compares these statistics for Connecticut with those of its surrounding states.

Average student debt from public and private colleges, 2013-2014
State	Public in-state institution		Private institution
	Average debt	Percent of graduates with debt	Average debt	Percent of graduates with debt
Connecticut	$24,831	65%	$36,242	59%
Massachusetts	$29,038	75%	$29,668	59%
New Hampshire	$35,044	81%	$28,293	63%
Rhode Island	$29,076	71%	$34,451	59%
United States	$25,902	60%	$29,657	64%
Source: CollegeInSight, "Explore All Data"

Outcomes

Retention rates

See also: Higher education retention rates

Retention rates indicate the percentage of freshman postsecondary students who enroll the following academic year as sophomores. According to the NCHEMS Information Center for Higher Education Policymaking and Analysis:

“	Students are more likely to drop out of postsecondary education during the first year than any other time. If a state can implement policies that help to increase retention rates either within institutions or through transfer, the likelihood of students persisting to graduation is far greater.	”
—NCHEMS Information Center for Higher Education Policymaking and Analysis

Compared to neighboring states, Connecticut, along with Rhode Island, had the lowest total retention rate in the 2013-2014 school year at 74 percent. The table below compares retention rates in Connecticut and surrounding states.

Higher education retention rates, 2013-2014
State	Total	Public		Private nonprofit		Private for-profit
		2-year	4-year	2-year	4-year	2-year	4-year
Connecticut	74%	61%	84%	N/A	83%	79%	39%
Massachusetts	78%	60%	82%	99%	87%	67%	77%
New Hampshire	74%	60%	80%	68%	77%	N/A	66%
Rhode Island	80%	64%	80%	92%	87%	71%	N/A
United States	71%	60%	79%	62%	80%	68%	54%
Source: CollegeInSight, "Explore All Data"

Graduation rates

See also: Higher education graduation rates

The table below, built from data compiled by The Chronicle of Higher Education, details graduation rates for Connecticut and surrounding states. Although postsecondary schools are classified as four-year and two-year institutions, relatively few students actually complete degrees within these time frames. At four-year schools, students commonly take between four and six years to complete their degrees. Likewise, students at two-year institutions commonly take three years to complete their degrees. To illustrate this point, both four-year and six-year graduation rates are provided in the table below (only three-year rates are provided for two-year institutions, owing to a lack of information regarding two-year completion rates).

At public four-year colleges in Connecticut, 40.8 percent graduated within four years, while 63.4 percent graduated within six years. These figures were lower than those in New Hampshire, but higher than its other two neighboring states. About 12.1 percent of Connecticut students at public two-year colleges graduated within three years; this figure was lower than in neighboring states.

Graduation rates by state, 2013
State	Four-year institutions						Two-year institutions
	Completion within four years			Completion within six years			Completion within three years
	Public	Private nonprofit	Private for-profit	Public	Private nonprofit	Private for-profit	Public	Private for-profit
Connecticut	40.8%	66.9%	27.7%	63.4%	74.1%	36.8%	12.1%	N/A
Massachusetts	38.2%	62.3%	20.3%	58.3%	75.5%	27.6%	15.9%	44.2%
New Hampshire	55.3%	60.9%	30.2%	70.1%	67.9%	43.0%	21.0%	N/A
Rhode Island	34.1%	65.1%	N/A	58.0%	73.8%	N/A	12.6%	N/A
United States	33.3%	52.8%	23.3%	57.6%	65.4%	33.2%	19.4%	63.1%
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education, "Graduation rates by state"

Study on college affordability and outcomes

College affordability and student debt have become major issues in higher education policy, particularly since the 2008 recession. The College Affordability Guide is an organization that evaluates colleges for their value, which is defined as providing a high-quality education that is affordable "not only for the average student, but for lower-income students as well." According to the College Affordability Guide, there are six colleges in Connecticut that provide high-quality education at an affordable price. The College Affordability Guide's rankings consider a number of factors and are based on the idea that income-appropriate tuition, completing one's studies, and being able to pay back one's loans are the key elements of a worthwhile college experience. Colleges considered the best value by the guide meet the following criteria:

• Tuition at an average net price of $15,000 per year or less after financial aid for families making $48,000 per year or less
• At least 50 percent of students graduate or transfer
• At least 50 percent of students are actively paying down student loan debt three years after graduation

Additionally, all colleges considered are not-for-profit, offer associate or higher degrees, and have at least one non-standard way for students to earn college credits, such as AP or CLEP credit. The table below lists the colleges in Connecticut that the College Affordability Guide considers to be the best value. The colleges are in no particular order. Full rankings and descriptions of the colleges can be found here.

Most affordable colleges in Connecticut, 2016
College	Average net price	Percent of students graduating or transferring	Percent of students repaying loans
Central Connecticut State University	$12,000	52.0%	85.2%
Eastern Connecticut State University	$14,000	56.0%	85.4%
Southern Connecticut State University	$11,000	53.0%	80.7%
Western Connecticut State University	$14,000	78.0%	81.9%
University of Connecticut - Waterbury	$5,000	84.0%	-	University of Connecticut - Stamford	$6,000	85.0%	92.9%
Source: College Affordability Guide, "2016 Most Affordable Colleges in Connecticut"

Funding

Total state funding

See also: Higher education funding and Connecticut state budget and finances

Higher education funding mechanisms differ depending on the type of institution. Public colleges receive the lion's share of their funding from state and local governments. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, state and local appropriations accounted for 53 percent of higher education revenues nationwide in 2013. By contrast, private institutions do not receive direct government funding. Instead, these institutions rely primarily on tuition, gifts, and endowments.

The 2008 recession led to decreased public higher education funding as college enrollment increased:

“	By 2012, the tuition revenues collected by public universities in 20 states covered more educational costs than did state-provided dollars.	”
—Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education

While there have been moderate increases in state allocations between 2012 and 2015, the average amount of spending "is still 15 percent less, per student, than before the economic downturn," according to a study by the State Higher Education Executive Offices (SHEEO).

According to Grapevine, which is published by Illinois State University's Center for the Study of Education Policy and SHEEO, financial support for public higher education in Connecticut totaled $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2015, a 25.8 percent increase over fiscal year 2013. The table below lists higher education fiscal support figures for Connecticut and surrounding states.

State funding for higher education
State	Fiscal year 2013	Fiscal year 2014	Fiscal year 2015	Percent change
Connecticut	$887,708,438	$1,018,691,658	$1,117,135,194	25.8%
Massachusetts	$1,255,182,474	$1,342,072,529	$1,462,827,301	16.5%
New Hampshire	$85,622,352	$109,000,000	$123,155,000	43.8%
Rhode Island	$160,539,277	$166,650,435	$176,937,827	10.2%
United States	$72,493,483,464	$76,950,508,609	$80,973,621,292	11.7%
Note: Dollar figures do not account for differences in the cost of living between states. Learn more here. Source: Grapevine, "Table 1: State Fiscal Support for Higher Education, by State, Fiscal Years 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15"

Funding per student

According to the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, average adjusted public postsecondary appropriations per full-time student declined 13.3 percent from fiscal year 2009 to 2013 on average in the United States. In Connecticut, appropriations per full-time student declined 21.8 percent during that same period. The table below lists adjusted public higher education appropriations per full-time student for Connecticut and surrounding states in fiscal years 2009, 2013, and 2014.

Public higher education appropriations per full-time student (in constant 2014 dollars)
State	Fiscal year 2009	Fiscal year 2013	Fiscal year 2014	1 year change	5 year change	Change since recession
Connecticut	$9,192	$6,509	$7,192	10.5%	-21.8%	-26.3%
Massachusetts	$6,805	$5,785	$6,073	5.0%	-10.8%	-23.1%
New Hampshire	$3,483	$1,724	$2,360	36.8%	-32.3%	-33.3%
Rhode Island	$5,169	$4,547	$4,690	3.2%	-9.3%	-24.0%
United States	$7,553	$6,215	$6,552	5.4%	-13.3%	-18.9%
Notes: "Educational appropriations are a measure of state and local support available for public higher education operating expenses including ARRA funds, and exclude appropriations for independent institutions, financial aid for students attending independent institutions, research, hospitals, and medical education." "Adjustment factors, to arrive at constant dollar figures, include Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), Enrollment Mix Index (EMI), and Higher Education Cost Adjustment (HECA). The Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is not a measure of inflation over time." Source: State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, "State Higher Education Finance: FY 2014"

Faculty

Faculty

See also: Higher education faculty statistics

Across the country, as student enrollment at postsecondary institutions has changed, so has the faculty. To meet rising demand, the number of faculty increased nationwide by just over 55 percent, from 515,684 to 800,611, between the 1993-1994 and 2013-2014 school years. In Connecticut, the total number of faculty rose from 5,655 to 8,174. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the college faculty profession has one of the fastest growth rates in the nation and will see a 19 percent increase in jobs between 2012 and 2022.

Employment status

Employment of faculty at four-year public institutions in Connecticut

While the total number of faculty at public colleges and universities continued to rise over the previous two decades, the portion of faculty who work part-time rose more quickly. By the mid-1990s, part-time faculty comprised over half of total instructional faculty, a figure which continued to increase before leveling off in 2013. In the 2013-2014 school year, just over 55 percent of instructional faculty nationwide worked part time. The number of part-time faculty, including teaching and research assistants, outnumbered full-time faculty in all but 11 states. The number of teaching and research assistants alone outnumbered full-time faculty in five states. Connecticut was not one of these states. According to the Southern Regional Education Board,

“	The fact that part-time faculty and teaching/research assistants are a majority of the instructional staff does not mean they do a majority of the instruction, because part-time faculty members and teaching/research assistants typically do not teach as many classes as full-time faculty members. Part-time faculty members generally do not have campus committee assignments or participate in student activities.	”
—Southern Regional Education Board

In Connecticut, the percentage of all part-time faculty, including graduate assistants, decreased from 61.5 percent to 56.3 percent between the 1993-1994 and 2013-2014 school years. Below is a table that provides figures on full-time and part-time faculty employment in Connecticut as compared to surrounding states.

Employment status of instructional faculty at public four-year institutions
State	1993-1994				2013-2014
	Full time faculty	Part time faculty	Graduate assistants	Part-time total as a percent of all faculty*	Full time faculty	Part time faculty	Graduate assistants	Part-time total as a percent of all faculty*
Connecticut	2,180	1,421	2,054	61.5%	3,574	2,017	2,583	56.3%
Massachusetts	3,905	1,675	2,833	53.6%	4,692	3,369	3,897	60.8%
New Hampshire	1,175	178	506	36.8%	1,110	1,206	734	63.6%
Rhode Island	1,081	30	623	37.7%	1,033	936	487	57.9%
United States	265,469	83,579	166,636	48.5%	359,586	163,962	277,063	55.1%
*"Part-time total" includes teaching and research assistants, who also work part-time. Source: Southern Regional Education Board, "Fact Book Tables"

Salaries

According to the Southern Regional Education Board, although the salaries of full-time faculty at public four-year institutions are higher than the those of the average American worker, their growth has not kept pace with the average rate of salary increases across all professions. However, salary growth at private institutions has outpaced the national average rate. From the 2008-2009 to the 2013-2014 school years, the average salary for full-time instructional faculty at public four-year institutions nationwide rose from $76,009 to $79,293. In Connecticut, the average salary increased from $88,158 to $90,638. The table below provides faculty salary information for the school years 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for Connecticut and surrounding states. Dollar figures have not been adjusted for inflation.

Average salaries of full-time instructional faculty at public four-year institutions, 2013-2014
State	Average salary 2008-2009	Average salary 2013-2014	Percent change	Inflation-adjusted percent change
Connecticut	$88,158	$90,638	2.8%	-2.4%
Massachusetts	$80,005	$89,727	12.2%	-2.2%
New Hampshire	$84,323	$89,360	6.0%	-4.4%
Rhode Island	$75,642	$77,964	3.1%	-4.1%
United States	$76,009	$79,293	4.3%	-1.5%
Note: Dollar figures do not account for differences in the cost of living between states. Learn more here. Source: Southern Regional Education Board, "Fact Book Tables"

Demographics

Over the previous two decades, the proportions of female, black, and Hispanic faculty members at public colleges and universities nationwide increased to reach their highest levels ever in the 2013-2014 school year. In Connecticut, 42.3 percent of full-time college faculty were female, 4.2 percent were black, and 4.2 percent were Hispanic. Female, black, and Hispanic representation in college faculty at that time was higher than in the 1993-1994 school year. However, it still fell below the proportions of both the general and college student populations who were female, black, and Hispanic. Click [show] on the green bar below the pie charts to view demographic information for full-time faculty at public four-year colleges and universities in Connecticut from the 1993-1994 to the 2013-2014 school years. For this reason, the pie chart displays a different figure for 'Other' than the table.

Demographics of full-time faculty at public four-year colleges and universities
State	Year	Total full-time faculty	Percent men	Percent women	Percent white	Percent black	Percent Hispanic	Percent other*
Connecticut	1993-1994	2,180	70.0%	30.0%	88.1%	3.8%	2.6%	5.6%
	2013-2014	3,574	57.7%	42.3%	78.6%	4.2%	4.2%	12.2%
Massachusetts	1993-1994	3,905	68.2%	31.8%	89.6%	3.4%	1.8%	5.2%
	2013-2014	4,692	54.3%	45.7%	81.0%	4.3%	3.3%	10.7%
New Hampshire	1993-1994	1,175	67.2%	32.8%	96.6%	0.2%	0.6%	2.7%
	2013-2014	1,110	56.8%	43.2%	88.3%	1.8%	2.2%	7.0%
Rhode Island	1993-1994	1,081	66.0%	34.0%	90.4%	2.3%	1.3%	6.0%
	2013-2014	1,033	50.8%	49.2%	85.2%	2.5%	2.9%	9.2%
United States	1993-94	265,685	70.2%	29.8%	87.1%	4.8%	2.2%	6.0%
	2013-2014	359,586	57.7%	42.3%	77.9%	5.4%	4.3%	11.8%
*Represents Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indian/Alaskan Native Source: Southern Regional Education Board, "Fact Book Tables"

Recent news

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Higher education in Connecticut, 1993-2016 - Google News

See also

• Public education in Connecticut
• Connecticut state budget and finances
• Historical higher education information in Connecticut

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