College tuition priced at $20,000 in 1983 $184,537.57 in 2023

College Tuition Inflation Calculator

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Prices for College Tuition, 1983-2023 ($20,000)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for college tuition and fees are 822.69% higher in 2023 versus 1983 (a $164,537.57 difference in value).

Between 1983 and 2023: College tuition experienced an average inflation rate of 5.71% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, college tuition costing $20,000 in the year 1983 would cost $184,537.57 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.83% during this same period, inflation for college tuition was higher.

In the year 1983: Pricing changed by 10.41%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for college tuition during the 1983-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1983 (3.21%), inflation for college tuition was much higher.

Price Inflation for College tuition and fees since 1977

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1982 (13.44%), 1981 (12.41%), and 1992 (10.75%).

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Buying power of $20,000.00 since 1983

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for College tuition, over time, for $20,000 beginning in 1983. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1983$20,000.0010.41%
1984$22,048.7510.24%
1985$24,051.229.08%
1986$25,998.158.09%
1987$27,954.347.52%
1988$30,083.317.62%
1989$32,469.927.93%
1990$35,091.028.07%
1991$38,663.9910.18%
1992$42,821.6610.75%
1993$46,828.149.36%
1994$50,097.196.98%
1995$53,110.156.01%
1996$56,115.405.66%
1997$58,983.345.11%
1998$61,474.854.22%
1999$63,915.463.97%
2000$66,558.164.13%
2001$69,959.895.11%
2002$74,733.116.82%
2003$80,995.068.38%
2004$88,668.629.47%
2005$95,288.497.47%
2006$101,675.416.70%
2007$108,036.626.26%
2008$114,774.426.24%
2009$121,671.696.01%
2010$127,992.025.19%
2011$134,422.375.02%
2012$140,941.844.85%
2013$146,894.724.22%
2014$152,320.783.69%
2015$157,606.403.47%
2016$161,848.272.69%
2017$165,083.002.00%
2018$168,733.632.21%
2019$173,551.402.86%
2020$175,939.741.38%
2021$177,468.440.87%
2022$181,303.132.16%
2023$184,537.571.78%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for College tuition and fees:

Year19771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
CPI57.90059.90864.66970.83179.62390.32399.723109.938119.923129.631139.385150.000161.900174.969192.785213.515233.492249.792264.815279.800294.100306.523318.692331.869348.831372.631403.854442.115475.123506.969538.687572.283606.674638.188670.251702.758732.440759.495785.850807.000823.129841.332865.354877.263884.885904.005920.133

Adjust college tuition prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 1983 * 1983 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for College tuition and fees was 99.723 in the year 1983 and 920.133 in 2023:

920.133 / 99.723 * $20,000 = $184,537.57

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20,000 in 1983 has the same "purchasing power" as $184,537.57 in 2023 (in the CPI category of College tuition and fees).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for College tuition and fees in 1977. In addition to college tuition, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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