President Charles E. Patterson | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
President Charles E. Patterson | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Data shows that students paid $30,780 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $901 more than the previous school year.
Among the four institutions in the county, Dickinson College stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $61,351. Messiah University followed with an average of $39,490 per year. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $13,617.
At the time, a total of $41.9 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Cumberland County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $13.9 million.
Currently there are four higher education institutions in Cumberland County, including Messiah University, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, and Central Penn College.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Penn College | 51 | $478,244 | $9,377 | 39 | $326,729 | $8,378 |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 916 | $5,451,214 | $5,951 | 783 | $7,270,685 | $9,286 |
| Dickinson College | 542 | $21,793,209 | $40,209 | 262 | $1,974,603 | $7,537 |
| Messiah University | 587 | $14,218,834 | $24,223 | 370 | $4,349,278 | $11,755 |
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