Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, Goldwater Institute, New Republic

Average annual tuition at public four-year institutions in the U.S. in 2010:  $7,605.

Average annual tuition at private four-year institutions in the U.S. in 2009:  $27,293.

Average annual tuition at public two-year institutions in the U.S. in 2009:  $2,713.

Percentage increase in tuition and room-and-board costs across all institutions from 2000 to 2010:  37%.

Average increase in tuition across all institutions in 2010:  8.3%.

Average annual increase in tuition across all institutions from 2000 to 2009:  5.6%.

Average annual increase in tuition across all institutions from 1990 to 1999:  3.2%.

Average annual increase in tuition across all institutions from 1980 to 1989:  4.5%.

Increase by percentage in tuition and room-and-board costs across all institutions from 1982 to 2009: 4 39%.

Increase in average household income from 1982 to 2009:  147%.

Cost of attending a private not-for-profit four-year institution as a percentage of the median family income in 1979:  26%.

Cost of attending a private not-for-profit four-year institution as a percentage of the median family income in 2009:  58%.

Cost of attending a public four-year institution as a percentage of the median family income in 1979:  12%.

Cost of attending a public four-year institution as a percentage of the median family income in 1979:  25%.

Projected annual cost of attending a public four-year institution in 2034:  $81,000.

Spending on post-secondary education as a percentage of GDP in 2009:  2%.