College tuition has risen significantly in the last few decades. From the 1981–1982 academic year to the 2011–2012 academic year, total tuition, room, and board paid by full-time undergraduate students went from $2,871 to $16,789 at public institutions and from $6,330 to $33,716 at private institutions. This is an average annual tuition increase of 6.1% at public institutions and 5.7% at private institutions. Over the same time, average personal income after taxes rose from $9,785 to $39,409 per year, which is an average annual rate of growth of personal income of 4.8%.

Have these tuition increases made it more difficult for the average student to afford college tuition?