Tuition, other school fees, and childcare priced at $20 in 2003 $43 in 2023

Tuition, Other School Fees, And Childcare Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for Tuition, Other School Fees, And Childcare, 2003-2023 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for tuition, other school fees, and childcare are 115.01% higher in 2023 versus 2003 (a $23 difference in value).

Between 2003 and 2023: Tuition, other school fees, and childcare experienced an average inflation rate of 3.90% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, tuition, other school fees, and childcare costing $20 in the year 2003 would cost $43 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.53% during this same period, inflation for tuition, other school fees, and childcare was higher.

In the year 2003: Pricing changed by 6.78%, which is above the average yearly change for tuition, other school fees, and childcare during the 2003-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2003 (2.27%), inflation for tuition, other school fees, and childcare was much higher.

Price Inflation for Tuition, other school fees, and childcare since 1977

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1982 (13.24%), 1981 (12.25%), and 1983 (10.13%).

View price changes for other categories
Legal services · Film and photographic supplies · Bananas · Denver, Colorado · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 2003

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Tuition, other school fees, and childcare, over time, for $20 beginning in 2003. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
2003$20.006.78%
2004$21.437.15%
2005$22.806.41%
2006$24.216.17%
2007$25.565.56%
2008$27.015.67%
2009$28.405.15%
2010$29.654.41%
2011$30.894.19%
2012$32.123.98%
2013$33.293.66%
2014$34.393.28%
2015$35.633.62%
2016$36.632.80%
2017$37.482.34%
2018$38.342.29%
2019$39.452.90%
2020$40.231.96%
2021$40.801.41%
2022$41.902.71%
2023$43.002.62%*

* 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 Tuition, other school fees, and childcare:

Year19771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
CPI57.80059.79264.69271.22379.94690.53199.700109.769119.708129.608139.962151.038162.700175.715191.385208.469225.300239.823253.831267.123280.377294.238308.385323.969341.092362.108386.654414.292440.862468.062494.079522.098548.971573.174597.208620.979643.681664.780688.814708.115724.655741.262762.749777.716788.712810.078831.327

Adjust tuition, other school fees, and childcare prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 2003 * 2003 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Tuition, other school fees, and childcare was 386.654 in the year 2003 and 831.327 in 2023:

831.327 / 386.654 * $20 = $43

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 2003 has the same "purchasing power" as $43 in 2023 (in the CPI category of Tuition, other school fees, and childcare).


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

» Read more about inflation and investment.