College tuition just hit a surprising milestone. It’s not what you’d expect

Here’s something that might seem unbelievable: The cost of attending college has actually become cheaper in the past decade. Between the 2016-2017 and 2026-2027 academic years, the average tuition and fees declined 8.3% for in-state students at public four-year colleges and universities after adjusting for inflation, according to a new report from the College Board. The decline was even starker at public community colleges, where the average inflation-adjusted tuition and fees fell by 12%....