National College Attainment Network

10/08/2026

Thank you to Matt Barnum at Chalkbeat for taking a closer look at the changing cost of college.

Our new affordability report shows that college is unaffordable for a lot of regular Americans. But the story is more complicated than tuition alone.

Tuition at public colleges and universities has been flat or declining for the past five years or more. Meanwhile, housing and food costs have shot up, putting more pressure on students and families.

Tuition needs to come down further, and financial aid needs to increase. But if we want to understand college affordability, we also have to look at the rising cost of living that students are facing every day.

Read the full piece from Chalkbeat and learn more about NCAN’s affordability report: https://bit.ly/4yH0LCq

Most students don’t actually pay that much, and real tuition costs have been falling.

10/08/2026

Meet NCAN’s 2026-27 Policy Council! 🎉 These state policy and advocacy leaders help shape NCAN’s policy priorities, share insights from the field, and advance solutions that expand college access, affordability, and success for students and families. Join us in celebrating this year’s members!

10/07/2026

Thank you to Inside Higher Ed for covering NCAN’s latest affordability report, which finds that college is becoming even less affordable for students across the country.

The biggest reason for the affordability challenges? The rising cost of living. While tuition and fees are important, costs like housing and food have also risen rapidly and can make it harder for students to afford college.

Our analysis shows that these living costs are an important part of understanding the true cost of college and what students need to succeed.

Read the coverage from Inside Higher Ed and learn more about NCAN’s affordability findings.



https://bit.ly/4dtlGQF

Despite the availability of state grant programs, federal aid for low-income students and even federal student loans, the cost of the public four-year college is out of reach for students by an average of $1,801, according to a new analysis of 2023–24 data by the National College Attainment Networ...

10/06/2026

Our economy needs more than 5 million additional workers with an education beyond high school over the next 6 years. Most of the growth in college-going will come from first-generation and low-income students.

But higher costs-of-living and more accurate assessments of the total cost to attend are making college unaffordable every year. Even as net tuition and fees have flattened or even declined, only 9 states had more than half of their public B.A.-granting colleges meet our affordability definitions.

NCAN's 2026 Affordability Gap report shows where progress is happening and where the work remains: https://bit.ly/4hyehRb

10/02/2026

Does every state offer an affordable path to college? The answer is no, and the differences across states matter for students and families making decisions about higher education.

According to NCAN's research, 12 states have no public bachelor’s degree-granting college that can be considered affordable.

For students from low-income backgrounds, an affordable option can make the difference between having a pathway to a degree and facing another barrier to higher education.

Read our 2026 Affordability Gap report: https://bit.ly/4hyehRb

10/01/2026

Where you live shouldn't determine if you can afford to attend college, but for many students, it plays a significant role.

NCAN's latest Affordability Gap report reveals that less than half of public universities and community colleges are affordable across the country. Only 1/3rd of public bachelor's degree-granting institutions meet our affordability definition, thanks largely to inflation driving up the cost of living.

12 states have no public B.A.-granting college that can be considered affordable. But 9 states are showing what’s possible when states make college affordability a priority.

Read our 2026 Affordability Gap report: https://bit.ly/4hyehRb

10/01/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our October 2026 Member of the Month, Liz Yaddof!

As a Community Engagement Consultant at the Iowa Department of Education, Yaddof works with students, families, school counselors, and educators to help students explore their postsecondary options and discover what’s possible for their futures.

Yaddof shared that one of the most rewarding parts of her work is seeing a student or family realize how completing the FAFSA can open doors they didn’t know were available to them.

Her advice for those new to college attainment work? Don’t lose sight of the “why.” Even the small acts of support can make a lasting difference in a student’s life.

09/30/2026

Florida’s undocumented students are facing new barriers to enrolling in & paying for college. Recent state policies have limited access to in-state tuition & placed new restrictions on enrollment at public colleges & universities.

NCAN & the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration have compiled resources to help counselors support undocumented students navigating these changes - including scholarship opportunities, college options, & guidance on paying for college.

Florida policies are creating new barriers to higher education for undocumented students. Explore the latest enrollment restrictions, tuition changes, and resources to help counselors support undocumented students pursuing college.

09/30/2026

College affordability remains a major challenge across the Great Lakes states. NCAN’s latest analysis finds significant gaps for students in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, with some states facing affordability challenges well above the national average.

In Ohio, for example, the average affordability gap at public bachelor’s-granting institutions was $4,680 - more than twice the national average. In Wisconsin, just 8% of public four-year institutions and 7% of community colleges met NCAN’s affordability criteria.

Explore NCAN’s Midwest Spotlight Report to see how state investments, financial aid, tuition, and rising living costs are shaping college affordability across the region.

The Midwest Spotlight compares the Great Lakes states to identify the scope of unmet financial need for students in the region and to explore how policy changes could help put public postsecondary education within reach.