Working through school: 1968 vs. Now
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Earlier this week, during the House omnibus bill discussions, the Minnesota Student Association (which represents U of M students), passed out these numbers.
Seems like it might be a response to all those older politicians who constantly ask, "Why can't you just work your way through school like I did?"
| Working Your Way Through the U of M: Then and Now | |||
| 1968-69 | 2010-11 | ||
| Tuition and Fees | $385 | $12,240 | |
| Federal minimum wage | $1.25 | $7.25 | |
| Amount after S.Sec. and Medicare | $1.20 | $6.76 | |
| Hours/week needed to cover costs | 6.2 | 34.8 | |
It would be interesting to note, as some legislators have, how much the state appropriation was back in 1968-69 compared to what it is now.
I'm trying to find an agency that keeps data going back that far. But the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system has numbers going back to 1980-81.
(The ones from 1968-69 might be different, but it's unlikely that the trend would reverse.)
| 1980-81 | 2010-11 | |
| % college revenues from tuition | 20.3 | 56.6 |
| % college revenues from state funding | 79.7 | 43.4 |
Yeah, if the numbers above are correct, that old burger-joint job might not be the salvation it once was.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
